Tom Cruise has celebrated his 61st birthday with Australian Mission: Impossible fans at the Sydney premiere of the franchise's hotly anticipated latest film.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One opens in Aotearoa cinemas on July 8, but ahead of the premiere, Cruise walked the red carpet with some of his co-stars.
Franchise newcomers Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, long-time stalwart Simon Pegg and director Christopher McQuarrie all took time to meet and greet those on the carpet.
Cruise was spotted by Australian media in Sydney's Harbour City after arriving by private jet on Saturday ahead of the premiere at Darling Harbour's International Convention Centre.
Newshub's Kate Rodger was the only New Zealand media in attendance at the red carpet, and finally got her moment with the Hollywood superstar. Cruise told her it was "beautiful" to celebrate his birthday surrounded by fans.
"It's my birthday and to be able to come here and share it with everyone and share this film that we've all been working on, it's very special," he said.
"I feel lucky because I spent my life either on a movie set or out promoting a movie on my birthday so I feel very fortunate."
A cheeky request from Rodger saw her ask Cruise if he would return to New Zealand to film another movie - and Cruise said he would "love it" after the "great time" he had shooting The Last Samurai here.
"Very proud of that film, and very proud to shoot it in New Zealand," he said.
There have been six previous Mission: Impossible films, with the first in 1996 launching Cruise as super-spy Ethan Hunt into the cinematic consciousness. To date, the franchise has grossed over US$3.5 billion at the global box office.
The seventh and latest film is the first to be split across two parts.
Much of the early publicity touted Cruise's mega stunt of driving a custom-made Honda CRF 250 off a purpose-built ramp on the side of Norway's Helsetkopen mountain, which stands 1200m above sea level.
That stunt culminates with Cruise plunging 4000 feet into a ravine below, before his parachute opened. How that factors into the story has yet to be revealed, but video released by Paramount Pictures last year showed Cruise did 500 skydives and 13,000 motocross jumps to prepare for it.
Rodger asked Cruise where he and director McQ (Christopher McQuarrie) get the ideas for such elaborate stunts.
"They just keep thinking of all the fun things to do and find a way to see how we can film it and make it part of the story," he told Rodger.
"I'll learn these things and then we'll it apply to the picture."
McQ also told Rodger the relationship with Cruise is essentially a conversation about films, interrupted now and again by making one.
"That is very true," Cruise laughed. "That is exactly what happens... just stories and movies and it's a dream come true for me."
And he gave a hint to fans as to what they could expect from his latest.
"Epic adventure," he told Rodger. "Epic adventure and you're going to be on the edge of your seat."
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One opens in New Zealand on Saturday.
