10 Insane Movie Stunts They Filmed FOR REAL
9. Burj Khalifa Climb - Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
The Mission Impossible franchise has always been a major contributor towards awesome in-camera stunts, but the fourth entry took things to a new level in 2011. In Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise's character must climb up several storeys of the tallest building in the world to reach a server room.
First the production crew had to get permission to drill holes and break through windows on the iconic building. In addition, there were many consultations with engineers, climbers and architects to ensure the sequence would be carried out as safely and responsibly as possible. When it came to pulling it off, Tom Cruise insisted on climbing the building himself.
The actor's stunt double was used solely for the purposes of checking safety harnesses, which Cruise also used when scaling the building. He had to be quick, as the tightness of said equipment slowly made his legs go numb. With the ascent being done for real and a set of remarkably versatile camerawork, the team were able to make this moment as impressive and anxious as possible.
As perhaps the most well-remembered set-piece of the entire Mission Impossible series, both Cruise and the filmmakers created a nail-bitingly tense sequence that's made all the more impressive by the fact the actor really is out there climbing the building.