Tom Cruise's dream at the age of 5 sparked the Mission Impossible phenomenon

At the age of 5, actor Tom Cruise had a dream that sparked the Mission: Impossible phenomenon.

In an interview with The Guardian, Cruise's co-star from the last two Mission: Impossible films, Hayley Atwell, reveals that since the tender age of only 5, Tom Cruise had harboured a dream of doing high-stakes stunts such as taking a giant leap off a cliff while on a motorbike. However, the rest we know is history.

Let us find out more details about Tom Cruise's childhood dream that has made him the iconic movie star that he is, with the Mission: Impossible movies.

Dreams do come true: Tom Cruise serves as a living example with his Mission: Impossible movies

While speaking to The Guardian, Hayley Atwell has revealed Tom Cruise's childhood dream that he has harboured since he was 5.

In the interview, Atwell mentions that Cruise has talked about his childhood dream of doing these iconic stunts, where he would take a bounce from a cliff on a motorcycle, as she states:

"There’ll be Tom going: ‘From five years old I’ve always wanted to jump from a cliff on a motorbike’, and realising his dream. But with the rest, they’re kind of making it up as they go."

Well, an adult Tom Cruise has made his dream come true, and the entire world has celebrated it for years. Apart from his impeccable acting chops, the actor is well known for performing difficult stunts with absolute finesse. Even at the age of 62, in his freshly released and also the last film of the franchise, Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning, he is seen doing some serious 'impossible' stunts.

In the film, we can witness Tom Cruise jumping off a cliff with his motorcycle, the exact dream that he has cherished since his childhood. We also catch him hanging on an aircraft, mid-air! It is so rare for people to achieve their childhood dreams as we grow up, but the Knight and Day actor has proved it otherwise.

The most interesting part is, Cruise partakes in these dangerous stunts with such tranquility and ease. His true craft lies in how he makes such life-threatening stunts seem so effortless. It also showcases his immense dedication towards the craft, as he is willing to put his body through such a gruelling process.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning was released on May 23, 2025. It has garnered favourable reviews, earning up to a rating of 7.6/10 at IMDb and an aggregate of 80% at Rotten Tomatoes. Along with Hayley Atwell and Cruise, the film stars Ving Rhames, Angela Bassett, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and many others.

The Mission: Impossible series has been in existence since 1996. The franchise has a total of 8 films. The franchise, as well as Tom Cruise's work in these films, has garnered immense love and praise over the years. Along with these films, the actor is also known for starring in films including the Top Gun film series (1986, 2022), Magnolia (1999), Vanilla Sky (2001), The Last Samurai (2003), Jack Reacher (2012), to name a few.