Los Angeles will host the 2028 Games and, after a closing ceremony celebrating the athletes and a successful French hosting, the final part changed gear dramatically when it switched to the next destination for the Summer Games.
Cruise, who famously stars in Mission: Impossible, was left waiting on the top of the roof in a harness while clutching a wire as the official handover section of the ceremony began.
Cruise rappelled down into the stadium. Photo / Getty Images
The Olympic flag was passed between the mayors of Paris and Los Angeles, Anne Hidalgo and Karen Bass, before a rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. The lights then turned red on the part of the stadium from which Cruise was waiting and, defying his 62 years, he abseiled down at speed with a landing that would have impressed even the watching Simone Biles.
Cruise then ran through the crowds of athletes, offering high fives, before mounting a motorbike with a huge Olympic flag on the back. Drawing somewhat on the idea of the iconic scene between James Bond and the Queen at the London opening ceremony, Cruise was then filmed riding past the Eiffel Tower, before getting in an aircraft bound for LA.
The Olympic rings were then added to the famous Hollywood sign and the flag was passed between legendary athletes, including the 200m and 400m Olympic champion Michael Johnson, via the Coliseum Stadium that will host the athletics events. And all this while the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg (a regular in Paris in recent days) performed from Long Beach in LA and were beamed into the Stade de France.
LA organisers are planning a “no car” Games that makes the most of existing venues such as the Coliseum, which was used in both 1932 and 1984 and will become the first stadium to host three Olympics.
Cruise was pictured on the roof of the Stade de France an age before his descent into the stadium. At one point, it appeared as if Cruise was moving around as if to keep warm...
Tom Cruise began his turn atop the roof of the Stade de France. Photo / Getty Images
2. The not-so-smooth descent
Cruise finally appeared, slowly descending into the stadium. Cruise was tugging on a lever of some kind during the lower half of his arrival, but nothing happened. It is unclear what was intended at this point.
Cruise rappelled down into the stadium. Photo / Getty Images
3. Running the athlete gauntlet
Cruise had to fight his way through a crowd of athletes to make it to the stage, but that was easier said than done with selfies, high-fives and even an unsolicited kiss all part of the journey.
Athletes appeared starstruck by the Hollywood superstar. Photo / Getty Images
4. Mission possible
Eventually, Cruise appeared on stage, jogging across it and collecting the Olympic flag and swiftly exiting with minimal interference. How disappointing that no bad guys emerged.
Actor Tom Cruise waves the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Stade de France. Photo / Getty Images
5. Motorbike out of nowhere
Having struggled to fight his way through the crowd on the way in, Cruise was armed with a motorbike to drive through it on the way out. Through he went, and the athletes were more respectful of the Hollywood star on two wheels than when he was on foot.
Cruise exited the Stade de France on a motorbike. Photo / Getty Images
6. Here comes the montage
Cruise’s stadium exit swiftly transitioned into a pre-recorded video of Cruise zooming around the streets of Paris all the way to an airplane that takes him across the Atlantic.
Cruise sped through Paris in a pre-recorded video. Photo / BBC Sport
7. Touchdown in LA
A safe – and swift – journey ended with Cruise handing the flag over to a number of current and former US athletes, including the BBC’s Michael Johnson, as it went through the Hollywood Hills, via the Coliseum, before ending up on Venice Beach. The Hollywood sign cleverly transitioned into the Olympic symbol, with three circles appearing above the two o’s.
The montage saw three extra Os added to the Hollywood sign in LA. Photo / BBC Sport
8. California loves to party
The transition ended with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre performing live from the beach, beamed into the Stade de France.
