The Ethan Hunt actor watched the women’s qualification for artistic gymnastics

Tom Cruise in the stands on day two of the Paris Olympics

Tom Cruise is taking a well-deserved break from Mission: Impossible 8. Spotted on day two of the Paris Olympics, the actor graced the stands to watch Simone Biles compete in the women’s qualification for artistic gymnastics.

Tom – who was also in attendance on day one – was joined by Warner Bros Discovery chief executive David Zaslav, Mission: Impossible director, Christopher McQuarrie and costume designer, Heather McQuarrie.

Tom Cruise with David Zaslav, Christopher McQuarrie and Heather McQuarrie © Getty
Tom Cruise was joined by David Zaslav, Christopher McQuarrie and Heather McQuarrie

A star-studded affair, Tom wasn’t the only celebrity in attendance at the gymnastics on Sunday; Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen and Jessica Chastain were also among the stands. Tom, 61, is a keen sports fan and recently attended the Wimbledon men’s final on July 14, accompanied once more by his close friend, Christopher McQuarrie.

Tom Cruise taking photos with fans at the Paris Olympics© Getty
The actor posed for photos with fans

The duo – who began collaborating on the Mission Impossible franchise with 2015’s Rogue Nation – have been shooting the eighth instalment in recent months, although it hasn’t been smooth sailing.

After the SAG-AFTRA strikes delayed production in 2023, the movie was finally able to resume filming this year, with Tom photographed around London. The Natural History Museum in Kensington and Westminster Bridge have each served as locations, as well as parts of Derbyshire and Surrey.

In May, however, it was reported that Mission: Impossible had encountered another major setback, following a technical malfunction. Per The Mirror, cast and crew were forced to press pause after a malfunction with a £23 million submarine occurred. More specifically, the gimbal used to lower the structure had jammed, requiring ongoing repairs.

Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie on set of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning - Part One© Sky
Tom and Christopher have been shooting Mission: Impossible 8 around the UK in recent months

While Tom has refrained from commenting on the reports, Mission: Impossible 8 appears to be back in action, with the franchise confirming a new addition to the cast. Stephen Oyoung – an actor and stunt performer known for appearing in NCIS, Hawaii Five-0 and Good Trouble – has signed on in an unknown role this month.

Sharing the news on Instagram, Stephen wrote: “Mission accepted! Thank you to Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie for having me along for the ride. An absolute dream come true and an incredible master class in filmmaking everyday! Can’t wait for you all to see it!”

Stephen Oyoung at Comic-Con© Getty
Stephen Oyoung is set to appear in an undisclosed role

Slated for release on May 23, 2025, Dead Reckoning – Part Two will follow Ethan Hunt and his team as they continue their search for the Sevastopol submarine in a bid to destroy the Entity – an AI program gone rogue. Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames and Pom Klementieff, Cary Elwes, Vanessa Kirby, and Esai Morales are all expected to return.

Speaking about what’s to come, director Chris McQuarrie revealed that there will be a huge underwater stunt. “Tom and I are constantly reevaluating our own work and asking ourselves how we could have done it better,” he explained to Collider.