Tom Cruise Stunts, But Make Them Middle Eastern
Could the Middle East be Cruise's next obstacle course? Here's how it can be done.
The 'Mission: Impossible' franchise has taken us everywhere—from cliff faces in Norway to the roof of the Vienna Opera House. Tom Cruise has scaled, sprinted, skydived, and motorcycle-jumped his way across the globe, turning iconic landmarks into action set pieces of legend.
And so, despite the Burj Khalifa's thrilling cameo, we still can't help but make the case: the Middle East deserves a much bigger slice of that Hollywood adrenaline.
This region is brimming with landscapes made for slow-motion leaps, last-minute parachutes, and dramatic escape sequences. From sun-scorched deserts to clifftop fortresses and labyrinthine old cities, every corner is basically begging for an Ethan Hunt stunt double.
So we imagined it—a fantasy reel of Cruise-level chaos, set against some of the Middle East's most dazzling, death-defying, and real travel spots.
Broken Balloon Descent Over Luxor
Forget a graceful glide. Imagine Cruise crash-landing in a deflating hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings, parkouring midair between floating baskets. Your sunrise balloon ride might be more serene—but it'll still be worth every second.
Free-Climbing a Cliff in Wadi Rum
No ropes. No fear. Just Tom scaling Wadi Rum's sandstone cliffs with only grit and fingertip strength. Bonus points if there's a drone chase mid-climb. You can also hike the same route—but probably with more focus on the horizontal than the vertical.
A Feline Blockade in the Streets of Marrakesh
Cornered in the medina, Cruise signals to Marrakesh's legendary street cats—who swarm in, tails twitching, forming the ultimate soft-pawed blockade.
A Slip 'n Slide Inside the Great Pyramid
Taking a tumble inside the Great Pyramid might be everyone's worst nightmare. But Cruise? He turns it into a thrill slide—gliding through dusty shafts, dodging booby traps, and outrunning ancient curses. (We still recommend sticking to guided tours.)
Fleeing on an Arabian Stallion in Essaouira
Cue the thunder of hooves where Atlantic waves crash into golden sands. Cruise gallops across the beach on a majestic Arabian stallion, pursued by motorbikes, camels—or both.
A Speedboat Chase in the Suez Canal
Massive container ships. Narrow lanes. Zero margin for error. Cruise zigzags through the world's most high-stakes waterway in a speedboat ballet. James Bond who?
Sandboarding on Scrap Wood in Oman
Endless dunes. Blistering heat. Cruise carves down Wahiba Sands like it's a black diamond run—on what looks suspiciously like a splintered crate. Definitely go, but also definitely stick to an actual sandboard
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Tom Cruise Stunts, But Make Them Middle Eastern
Could the Middle East be Cruise's next obstacle course? Here's how it can be done. The 'Mission: Impossible' franchise has taken us everywhere—from cliff faces in Norway to the roof of the Vienna Opera House. Tom Cruise has scaled, sprinted, skydived, and motorcycle-jumped his way across the globe, turning iconic landmarks into action set pieces of legend. And so, despite the Burj Khalifa's thrilling cameo, we still can't help but make the case: the Middle East deserves a much bigger slice of that Hollywood adrenaline. This region is brimming with landscapes made for slow-motion leaps, last-minute parachutes, and dramatic escape sequences. From sun-scorched deserts to clifftop fortresses and labyrinthine old cities, every corner is basically begging for an Ethan Hunt stunt double. So we imagined it—a fantasy reel of Cruise-level chaos, set against some of the Middle East's most dazzling, death-defying, and real travel spots. Broken Balloon Descent Over Luxor Forget a graceful glide. Imagine Cruise crash-landing in a deflating hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings, parkouring midair between floating baskets. Your sunrise balloon ride might be more serene—but it'll still be worth every second. Free-Climbing a Cliff in Wadi Rum No ropes. No fear. Just Tom scaling Wadi Rum's sandstone cliffs with only grit and fingertip strength. Bonus points if there's a drone chase mid-climb. You can also hike the same route—but probably with more focus on the horizontal than the vertical. A Feline Blockade in the Streets of Marrakesh Cornered in the medina, Cruise signals to Marrakesh's legendary street cats—who swarm in, tails twitching, forming the ultimate soft-pawed blockade. A Slip 'n Slide Inside the Great Pyramid Taking a tumble inside the Great Pyramid might be everyone's worst nightmare. But Cruise? He turns it into a thrill slide—gliding through dusty shafts, dodging booby traps, and outrunning ancient curses. (We still recommend sticking to guided tours.) Fleeing on an Arabian Stallion in Essaouira Cue the thunder of hooves where Atlantic waves crash into golden sands. Cruise gallops across the beach on a majestic Arabian stallion, pursued by motorbikes, camels—or both. A Speedboat Chase in the Suez Canal Massive container ships. Narrow lanes. Zero margin for error. Cruise zigzags through the world's most high-stakes waterway in a speedboat ballet. James Bond who? Sandboarding on Scrap Wood in Oman Endless dunes. Blistering heat. Cruise carves down Wahiba Sands like it's a black diamond run—on what looks suspiciously like a splintered crate. Definitely go, but also definitely stick to an actual sandboard
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