This holiday season, Academy Award-nominated actor and fearless daredevil Tom Cruise had a very special message for fans after he delivered it via "air male."
And unlike his previous delivery fail with a blown-up holiday cake that went viral, this special delivery attempt soared to thrilling heights.
The officially licensed flying pilot since 1994 expressed his gratitude for moviegoers making Top Gun: Maverick a box office smash and critical success.
To dramatically show just how grateful he was for audiences physically going to theaters this year in support of the follow-up to 1986's Top Gun, Cruise took to the skies over South Africa and jumped off a helicopter to make his heartfelt declaration.
Cruise is currently in production filming the next two installments in the Mission: Impossible franchise–Dead Reckoning Part One & Two.
Before tumbling into the atmosphere, Cruise thanked fans for giving him and his crew a chance to entertain–which he considered "the honor of a lifetime."
Cruise said as he was hurtling through the skies:
"I’m running out of altitude, so I’ve got to get back to work. We’ve got to get this shot."
"You have a very safe and happy holiday. We’ll see you at the movies.”
\u201cA special message from the set of #MissionImpossible @MissionFilm \nhttps://t.co/sfnWWluLyl\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
Mission: Impossible director Christoper McQuarrie made a cameo in the video as a passenger in the aircraft, and he playfully told the A-lister while tapping on his watch:
"Hey, we gotta roll, we gotta get this shot."
The death-defying stunt was filmed as Cruise and McQuarrie reunited to work on Dead Reckoning Part One.
McQuarrie previously directed the fifth and sixth films in the MI franchise–2015’s Rogue Nation and 2018’s Fallout.
When asked if he was tagging along for the airborne stunt, McQuarrie told Cruise:
"Not on your life. Good luck."
With a fist bump and a double thumbs up from the MI director, Cruise dangled off the side of the helicopter and delivered his holiday message of thanks to fans for supporting Maverick as he and the aircraft flew across the danger zone.
And with that, Cruise was released for his free-fall and presumably safe landing back on terra firma.
Fans gave props to Cruise for his grand gesture, his general affableness in Hollywood, and for the political neutrality depicted in his blockbuster films.
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm A true Action legend.\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm this man was the nicest celebrity I have ever seen in action...shaking hands with every single hard working man on a loading dock...no cameras present...just cool AF. It changed my mind about him, regardless of the press smears. Keep up the NON-woke masterpieces\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm All he wants to do is entertain us. He doesn\u2019t want to teach us any lessons, teach us any political theory, or any morality lessons. The man just wants to entertain us and for that he has my respect.\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm Tom Cruise career is Top Gun, legend \ud83d\ude4c\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TopGunMovie @TomCruise @MissionFilm Thank YOU, both Tom Cruise and the makers of #TopGun and #TopGunMaverick, for the extraordinary movies as well as the amazing collaborations in games such as #AceCombat7. Nothing else comes close.\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm Thank you for making such an incredible movies for us. We love your passion, enthusiasm and most of all you always give your best in order to entertain us. We look forward to watch Mission Impossible 7 and 8 on the big screen. Again thank you.\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm That was beautifully said @TomCruise Thank you for being you... the audience feel it every where...\ud83d\udc4d\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffc\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\u2764\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm Thanks for doing you job that your patrons pay you to do which is entertaining and not trying to make political statements like all the others do. This is why Maverick is the ONLY movie I have gone to see in the last two years.\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm Tom!You will always fascinate me!You are and will always remain such a surprising man and an impressive actor with his courage and determination!\u2708\ufe0f\ud83c\udfc6 \nAnd what a pleasure to see you again to offer us this Christmas present!\ud83d\udc9d\ud83c\udf85 \nThank you Tom, you are magic\ud83d\ude4f\n#OscarsforTomCruise\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm I can think of no movie star in the history of cinema who's done more to entertain fans than Tom Cruise.\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
\u201c@TomCruise @MissionFilm You are truly the ultimate professional, you leave nothing on the table, thank you for bringing Top Gun Maverick to life, you brought a lot of happiness to millions of people around the world during tough times \ud83d\udc4d\ud83d\ude4f\ud83d\udc4d\u201d— Tom Cruise (@Tom Cruise) 1671401825
Top Gun: Maverick –which was also co-written by McQuarrie along with Ehren Kruger, and Eric Warren Singer from a story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks–earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama, and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture.
Fans and critics cited the sequel in which Cruise reprised his character, naval aviator Maverick, as superior to its predecessor, Top Gun.
Maverick has grossed $1.488 billion worldwide and became the highest-grossing film of 2022.
It is also reportedly the highest-grossing film of Cruise's career.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is scheduled for a July 14, 2023 US opening.
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