MISSION COMPLETED
Tom Cruise pulls off spectacular stunt to close star-studded Olympics 2024 in Paris
A legendary US rock band and an Oscar winner performed alongside Snoop Dogg as the Games was handed over to LA
TOM Cruise closed the 2024 Olympics with a jaw-dropping Mission Impossible-style stunt as Paris handed the baton to Los Angeles.
The 62-year-old actor left viewers and sports stars gobsmacked as he slid down a rope from the roof of the Stade de France and landed on the pitch.
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Tom seemed completely unfazed despite the 115-foot-high drop as he was greeted by the elated athletes.
The Hollywood star then hopped onto a motorcycle to take the Olympic flag on a joyride out of the stadium.
A pre-recorded video then showed Tom riding past classic Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower before arriving at an airport.
After boarding the aircraft, the Top Gun actor could be seen skydiving out of the plane and later landing in Los Angeles.
The iconic movie star then trekked the flag up to the famous Hollywood sign before he passed it on to US cyclist Kate Courtney.
Those watching at home were full of praise for the ending of the three-hour show after the washout of the opening ceremony.
One person wrote: "American, Tom Cruise doing stunts and riding through Paris and catching a plane to the US as Red Hot Chili Peppers belts out! EPICCC.”
A second said: “Well it was definitely worth sitting through all that weird stuff. Tom Cruise take a bow and now Red Hot Chilli Peppers!”
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While a third added: “Tom Cruise is crazy!! But so FUN! #ClosingCeremony.”
The star power didn't end there though - the Americans showed just what was to come in four years.
Ten things from the Olympics closing ceremony you may have missed
Singer Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, rapper and Paris Olympics mainstay Snoop Dogg plus longtime collaborator Dr. Dre performed at Venice Beach as part of the handover.
Three-hour extravaganza
Sunday's extravagant event opened with a rendition of Under The Paris Sky, from the 1951 film of the same name, performed by French singer Zaho de Sagazan and an accompanying choir.
The group performed the song in the Tuileries Garden in Paris before French four-time gold medallist swimmer Leon Marchand appeared to carry a small flame to the Stade de France.
After thousands of Olympians poured into the Stade de France with their home countries, they joined together for some karaoke.
The sing-along section included Les Champs-Elysees, Gala Rizzatto's Freed From Desire and Queen's classic We Are The Champions.
The theatrical "record" section of the ceremony opened with dramatic music performed by an orchestra as a dazzling light show shot beams throughout the stadium.
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The section pays tribute to the records set by the athletes as well as the "golden record" which served as a time capsule when it was sent into space in 1977.
A "golden voyager" dressed in an elaborate gold costume was then lowered to the stage from the roof to help tell the history of the Olympics.
On their journey, a cloaked individual presented them with a Greek flag, to represent the Games' ancient origin.
The voyager was later joined on stage by a group of acrobats who were dressed as alien-like creatures who helped the voyager discover the Olympic rings which were hoisted from the stadium floor into the air.
French pianist and opera singer Benjamin Bernheim then delivered a rendition of Hymn To Apollo as composer Alain Roche played on a piano while being suspended in the air.
French indie rock band Phoenix then took things up a notch in the Stade de France with a lively performance of their hit Lisztomania.
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But their performance was plagued with sound issues and the lead singer was accused of lip-syncing.
The group from Versailles, who got the Olympians jumping along to their catchy tune, were later joined by Belgian singer Angele.
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French electro house artist Kavinsky also performed his classic song Nightcall while a cloaked guitarist shredded on the guitar after Cambodian rapper Vannda performed.
Lead singer of American indie band Vampire Weekend, Ezra Koenig, then joined Phoenix to begin the handover to the States for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
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