Tom Cruise has been thrilling audiences with his death-defying stunts for decades, and his latest film, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, is no exception. In a recent interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Cruise revealed that one particular stunt took him "decades" to master.

A Stunt that Took Decades to Perfect

Cruise explained that the stunt, which involves him holding onto the wing of an airplane flying at speeds of 150 mph, was inspired by black-and-white footage of the early days of wing walking. He wanted to recreate the thrill of that experience, but with a modern twist.

"It took decades to figure it out, honestly," Cruise admitted. "I fly all these airplanes, and I've been creating and building different aerial stuff even privately and studying cameras and developing the technique and technology to be able to tell a story with aerials."

The Challenges of Filming the Stunt

The stunt presented several challenges, including dealing with the pressure of the wind, which made it hard for Cruise to breathe. He had to figure out how to take the wind and breathe properly, and he also had to overcome the fact that the engine would stop as the plane went upside down. To make matters worse, the wind made it impossible for Cruise and his director, Christopher McQuarrie, to communicate verbally while in flight, so they had to use hand signals instead.

Cruise compared the experience to "the most intense weight workout you've ever had," saying, "Have you ever lifted a weight where you cannot ... It's impossible to lift it again? That's what it's like after a couple of minutes on that wing."

Cruise's Love for Aerial Stunts

Despite the challenges, he's already thinking about his next aerial sequence. "I can't wait. Like, the next time we do an aerial sequence, I can't wait for that," he said.

Cruise's love for aerial stunts is evident in his previous films, including Top Gun, American Made, Fallout, and Top Gun: Maverick. His dedication to pushing the limits of what's possible has earned him a reputation as one of the most daring actors in Hollywood.

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Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning arrives in theaters on May 23.