Tom Cruise almost broke his back performing a Mission Impossible stunt.

In a bonus footage from the digital release of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie broke down one of the film’s most intense and physically demanding scenes involving a high-altitude biplane battle between Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, and the villain, Gabriel, played by Esai Morales.

In a clip from the commentary, Cruise is shown grabbing a seat belt and holding on as the plane turns upside down.

McQuarrie said the stunt had separated Cruise’s fingers from the force, resulting in a swollen hand.

In the sequence, Cruise leaps from one plane to another midair, clinging to the wing as the aircraft soars and spins through the sky, a stunt that nearly broke his back.

The eighth movie of the Mission Impossible series was released this year.

Source: Hola!