Gear up for some serious Hollywood star-spotting this month in Abu Dhabi.
Iconic actor Tom Cruise, legendary for doing his own stunts in his action films, and director Christopher McQuarrie from the much-anticipated 'Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' will attend the red carpet premiere in Emirates Palace on June 26. This film was shot extensively in Abu Dhabi.
Along with Cruise and McQuarrie, the other stars of the film due to attend the Middle East Premiere later this month are Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff and Simon Pegg.
The star-led Middle East premiere brings the film to a full circle since it was shot extensively at the Liwa desert and the Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal. The shoot, supported by Abu Dhabi Film Commission, part of the Creative Media Authority, pulled all forces to make the complex filming successful. According to a release, multiple sets at the terminal were erected along with building an Arabian village in the desert to suit the movie's narrative.
It is the second time the Mission Impossible franchise has filmed in Abu Dhabi, following the adrenaline-charged jump sequence that was shot in Abu Dhabi for 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, again with the support of ADFC, twofour54 and the UAE military.
“Hosting the premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is an honor for Abu Dhabi and is also a reflection of the position the emirate holds as one of MENA’s top film and TV locations. We are proud to have worked with such a genre-defining franchise once again and it demonstrates how Abu Dhabi has everything filmmakers need to successfully complete such large, complex productions," said Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Acting Director General of Creative Media Authority, in a statement.
After more than a year of planning, filming took place in Abu Dhabi in 2021 over 15 days at the height of the pandemic, yet there was no disruption caused by COVID-19 thanks to the ADFC protocols put in place in Abu Dhabi.
As well as building the sets in Liwa and at the Midfield Terminal, the production team also shot on the roof of the 742,000sqm terminal, the longest single standing arch in the world at 180m.
The 'Mission Impossible' series have enjoyed tremendous success and appeal. High on stunts and spectacle, the MI blockbuster installments with Cruise’s iconic portrayal of the character Ethan Hunt. Cruise as the dapper Hunt has become synonymous with the franchise and he has played a significant role in its popularity.
Cruise brings a unique blend of charisma, intensity, and physicality to the role of Hunt. The actor’s relentless dedication to pushing the limits of what is physically possible in action sequences has become a hallmark of the franchise.
'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One' is among the 140 major productions to have shot in Abu Dhabi in the past 10 years, from companies including Disney, Netflix, Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures.
Films include 'Dune and Dune 2', 'Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Star Wars: The Force Awakens', '6 Underground' and 'Furious 7, as well as Bollywood hits such as 'Vikram Vedha', 'Tiger Zinda Hai' and 'Bharat'.
