Tom Cruise kicks off his Oscar campaign the only way he knows how: leaping from a plane
In a new commercial, the Top Gun: Maverick star shows support for his fans in a classically supercharged manner
Whether it’s “Babe Ruth-ing” movie theaters, developing a star-making musical, or preparing to become the first civilian to walk in space, Tom Cruise’s day-to-day is far from ordinary or low-key. Naturally, that ethos extends to a recent commercial starring the Top Gun: Maverick actor (and effectively kicking off his Oscar campaign.)
In the clip, which aired during Sunday Night Football on CBS, Cruise thanks fans for supporting the film and going out to the movie theater. The twist? The entire chat happens as Cruise jumps out of a helicopter hovering above the South African set of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, demonstrating that he’s nothing if not a multitasker.
“I didn’t want the year to end without thanking you all for coming out to the theater, and thank you for supporting Top Gun: Maverick,” Cruise says while hanging out of the aircraft manned by Dead Reckoning’s director (and Top Gun: Maverick’s writer), Christopher McQuarrie. Before Cruise takes his big leap of faith, he asks if McQuarrie plans on joining him in the open air.
“Not on your life—good luck,” McQuarrie responds. An unfazed Cruise then languidly sits back until he tumbles out of the plane.
“Thank you for supporting Top Gun: Maverick! As always, thank you for allowing us to entertain you. It truly is the honor of a lifetime,” Cruise muses as he careens through the air, seemingly unbothered. “Yeah. Very Lucky.”
Top Gun: Maverick, far and away the blockbuster of the year, will finally be available for streaming on Paramount+ December 22. Paramount even briefly brought back the film (which achieved record numbers during a dismal year for the box office) to theaters for a two-week run last month.
Concluding his video message (as, by his own admission, he “runs out of altitude”), Cruise again encourages fans back to the movies.
“You have a very safe and happy holiday,” Cruise tells the audience, before spinning off into the distance. “We’ll see you at the movies.”