He has been given the go-ahead to continue filming the highly-anticipated next Mission: Impossible film in the UK.
And Tom Cruise is making sure he’ll be firing on all cylinders back on set after practising his stunts on an Oxfordshire field during lockdown.
The action man, 58, raced around a dirt track on a motocross bike before piloting a helicopter as he readies himself to resume his role as Ethan Hunt.
Taking a spin: Tom Cruise has been spending his time well in lockdown, practising stunts on a motocross bike in a field in Oxfordshire
Aerial naps show the actor zooming around on the land he rented from a local farmer.
Tom had a track built specifically for him to practise the stunts, which he famously performs himself in his films.
Filming on the seventh film of the Mission: Impossible series began in Venice in February this year.
Stunt man: The actor, 58, also took to the skies in a helicopter as he practises his stunts ahead of filming resuming on Mission: Impossible
Lockdown life: The action man has rented a film from a local farmer and had a replica track built so he could practise the stunts for his Ethan Hunt role
Boy racer: The Top Gun star famously performs most of his own stunts and it appears he will be ready to go as filming looks set to resume
Returning to set: Tom is set to resume filming on the latest film in England under a quarantine exemption (seen in 2019)
Petrol head: Mission: Impossible 7 began filming in Venice in February, with stars including Ethan Hunt frontman Tom, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Vanessa Kirby and Rebecca Ferguson reprising their roles
On hold: The crew then moved the production to Surrey but filming had to be halted due to the coronavirus pandemic
The crew then moved the production to Surrey but filming had to be halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But Tom has clearly not let that get in the way of him working on the role as he prepares for the high-octane thriller by taking his toys for a spin.
The star has a pilot licence since his role as LT Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in Top Gun in 1994 and he often enjoys taking to the air.
All his own stunts: Aerial snaps show Tom, as well as a number of others, on the track as he zoomed around the track on the field
Happy flyer: The star has a pilot licence since his role as LT Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in Top Gun in 1994 and he often enjoys taking to the air
Back on track: After months on hiatus, the exciting filming project was given the green light to continue production by the UK government
New protocol: Exempted individuals will instead have to live and work in controlled ‘bubbled’ environments , such as filming locations, for the same period of time
New rules: The government has said it will publish guidance allowing ‘small numbers’ of essential cast and crew to travel to the UK without having to quarantine for 14 days
It comes as the government gave the green light for Mission: Impossible to continue filming this week.
Tom Cruise discussed filming logistics with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, who confirmed filmmakers will be exempt from certain quarantine rules on a video chat.
The government has said it will publish guidance allowing ‘small numbers’ of essential cast and crew to travel to the UK without having to quarantine for 14 days.
Practise track: The films focus on agent Ethan Hunt and will be directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who previously worked on 2015’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Mission: Impossible – Fallout in 2018
Guidelines: The new exemption applies to individuals coming to England specifically to work on film and television productions which qualify as British
Friendly faces: Mission: Impossible 7 will see the return of a number of familiar stars from the franchise, as well as the addition of Hayley Attwell and Esai Morales
Exempted individuals will instead have to live and work in controlled ‘bubbled’ environments, such as filming locations, for the same period of time.
‘The world’s biggest blockbusters and high-end TV shows are made in Britain,’ Dowden explained, nodding to the seventh and eighth instalments of the hit spy films being shot in Hertfordshire.
He added: ‘Our creativity, expertise and highly successful tax reliefs for our screen industries means that we are an in demand location that in turn delivers a great return for our economy.
More to come: Tom has already confirmed he will be reprising the role of Ethan for a Mission: Impossible 8, but its release may be delayed
Under wraps: Little is known of the new project but eager fans can expect to see exciting chases, perhaps involving a bike and a helicopter
Up in the air: Cruise said in January last year that the next two Mission: Impossible action films would be released in Summer 2021 and Summer 2022
‘We want the industry to bounce back and exempting small numbers of essential cast and crew from quarantine is part of our continued commitment to getting cameras rolling safely again,’ the British politician noted.
The exemption applies to individuals coming to England specifically to work on film and television productions which qualify as British, the Government said.
‘Today’s immensely welcome news is also a clear recognition of the importance of the film and high-end TV inward investment sector to the UK’s economy,’ said Adrian Wootton, chief executive of the British Film Commission.
Adjustments: Cruise discussed filming logistics with Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, who confirmed filmmakers will be exempt from certain quarantine rules on a video chat
Delayed: Filming on Mission: Impossible 7, which will feature British actor Simon Pegg, had to be halted in Italy in February over coronavirus fears (seen in 2018)
‘The sector was worth over £3 billion in 2019, and has a clear role to play in our economic recovery following the lockdown.’
Cruise revealed in January last year that the next two Mission: Impossible action films would be released in Summer 2021 and Summer 2022.
The films focus on agent Ethan Hunt, played by Cruise, and will be directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who previously worked on 2015’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Mission: Impossible – Fallout in 2018.
Back in June, Universal said it was due to resume filming on Jurassic World: Domination in the UK from the second week of July at Pinewood Studios near Slough.
Ben Roberts, chief executive of the British Film Institute, said: ‘Film and television are worth £9.9 billion to the UK economy and being able to get production back up and running as quickly as possible is going to help our industry and its 77,000 production workers contribute to the UK’s economic recovery.’
Upcoming: The new films will see Tom reprise one of his most famous roles as the rogue IMF spy