khoji parkCelebrities · London · 2017
Tom Cruise Broke His Ankle. The Shot Stayed in the Film.
Tom Cruise breaks his ankle performing a rooftop jump, halting production on Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
Read in slides1. Rigorous Production Schedule
Principal photography for the action spy film Mission: Impossible – Fallout began in April 2017 under director Christopher McQuarrie. The production moved across international locations including Paris, London, New Zealand, and Norway. Actor Tom Cruise committed to performing complex physical stunts without the use of stunt doubles. The demanding physical sequences required precise timing and intense athletic exertion from the lead actor.
Filming proceeded at a fast pace to meet scheduled release targets.
2. The Rooftop Chase Sequence
On 13 August 2017, the production was filming a foot pursuit sequence in central London. The scene required Cruise's character to leap across an alleyway gap between two high buildings. Cruise was fitted with a safety harness connected to deceleration lines for the jump. He was instructed to slam into the exterior wall of the receiving building to simulate a missed landing.
Crew members readied cameras for multiple takes of the stunt.
3. The Impact and Injury
During the execution of the jump, Cruise misjudged the distance and struck the side of the building awkwardly. The force of the collision fractured his right ankle upon impact with the wall. Despite the severe break, Cruise pulled himself up onto the roof and limped off camera to complete the movement. Only after stepping away from the frame did he inform the crew that he was injured.
Medical personnel assessed the extent of the damage to his leg.
4. Production Shutdown
Following medical evaluation, producers confirmed that Cruise had broken his right ankle in two places. Paramount Pictures announced an immediate suspension of principal photography to accommodate his recovery. The temporary shutdown was initially projected to last between two and three months. Hundreds of cast and crew members remained on payroll while the production paused operations.
The unexpected hiatus significantly altered the film's shooting schedule.
5. Utilization of Hiatus
Director Christopher McQuarrie used the unexpected production break to refine underdeveloped script scenes and sequences. Editor Eddie Hamilton began processing existing footage to maintain momentum in post-production workflows. The creative team also secured additional filming locations that had previously been unavailable. This forced pause allowed the writer-director to improve narrative continuity across various action set pieces.
Creative revisions continued while the lead actor underwent rehabilitation.
6. Intensive Rehabilitation
Cruise engaged in rigorous daily physical therapy to accelerate the healing of his broken ankle. He faced pressure to recover quickly to ensure the film maintained its planned July 2018 theatrical release date. Medical professionals monitored his progress closely as he transitioned from immobilization to light movement exercises. His dedication to rehabilitation shortened the anticipated recovery period considerably.
He returned to the active filming set ahead of initial estimates.
7. Return to the Set
Filming resumed in October 2017 after a hiatus of approximately seven to eight weeks. Cruise was not fully healed when he returned to active production duties on set. Directors arranged specific camera angles and seated blocking to accommodate his lingering mobility limitations. For instance, a dialogue scene around a table was staged so Cruise and Alec Baldwin could lean for relief.
Gradual physical integration allowed him to complete remaining dramatic sequences.
8. Completion of Action Stunts
As his ankle healed further, Cruise returned to executing physically demanding movements required by the script. He successfully completed the remainder of the London foot pursuit sequence that had originally caused his injury. In November 2017, he traveled to Norway to film the climactic cliff-top battle on Pulpit Rock. Production crews exercised caution to protect the healing bone during complex choreography.
All remaining physical action scenes were successfully captured on camera.
9. Budgetary and Insurance Impact
The production delays caused by the injury increased the overall film budget. Costs rose to approximately $250 million due to retaining the cast and crew during the operational pause. However, most of these financial expenditures were covered by the production's insurance policies. Paramount Pictures managed the fiscal adjustments without altering the studio's broader distribution strategy.
Financial liabilities were mitigated through existing contractual agreements.
10. Release and Reception
Cruise’s ankle injury interrupted filming and required a recovery period before he resumed work. Footage from the jump was retained in Mission: Impossible—Fallout. The accident was a real production event during the London shoot, separate from the fictional danger shown in the finished scene. The filmed action and the later medical and scheduling consequences belonged to the same attempted stunt.
The injured jump’s footage remained in the released film.