America’s Finest Athlete, Tom Cruise, Will Reportedly Close Out Paris Olympics
L’Olympiques are almost over … but they’re not going out without a final hurrah. On Sunday, the Stade de France will transform into a concert hall for a closing spectacle from artistic director Thomas Jolly, the mind behind the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony. According to a press release, the Closing Ceremony will feature an original soundtrack and more than 100 performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists. “Part of the show will take place in the air, while the giant sets, costumes and spectacular lighting effects will take spectators on a journey through time, both past and future,” the release promises. But don’t forget — this is also a handoff to Hollywood, since Los Angeles is hosting the next Summer Olympics in 2028. We’ll reportedly see Tom Cruise skydiving to the Hollywood sign and several musicians performing in L.A. Below, what to know about the Closing Ceremony (and how and when to watch).
Uh, Tom Cruise is doing what?
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a five-foot-seven man skydiving above the Hollywood sign! According to TMZ, Tom Cruise will reportedly close out the Paris Olympics with an “epic stunt” to pass the torch to Los Angeles in 2028, continuing with the tradition of the next host country showing the world what’s to come in four years. He’s going to slide down from the top of Stade de France to pick up the Olympic flag and bring it home to the U.S. through the power of movie magic. In other words, shortly after the stunt, the broadcast will cut to a prerecorded clip of Cruise skydiving down to the Hollywood sign and passing the flag to various Olympians all across L.A. landmarks (the giant Scientology building hopefully not included).
Who’s performing from L.A.?
French producers are reportedly working with Grammy Awards executive producer Ben Winston to add L.A. to the ceremony lineup. Per Variety, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will sing from L.A. in a mix of pre-taped and live performances.
How else will France hand it off to the U.S.?
L.A.’s mayor, Karen Bass, will be in Paris for the ceremony, during which she’ll physically accept the Olympic flag. You can also expect to hear the Star-Spangled Banner as part of the handoff; according to the Associated Press, H.E.R. will sing the U.S.’s national anthem in the Stade de France.
When and how can I watch?
The Tom Cruise stunt show closing ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Fallon and Mike Tirico, will take place on Sunday, August 11, at 3 p.m. ET. It will stream live on Peacock, NBC, and NBCOlympics.com, and is expected to last three hours. (A primetime replay follows at 7 p.m. ET.) It’s showtime, baby!
This post has been updated.
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