Tom Cruise, an Oscar-nominated actor, arrived on the inaugural flight at Abu Dhabi’s $3 billion Midfield airport on Sunday, but he had previously visited the huge 742,000 square meter airport, which isn’t yet available to the public.
In fact, after using the massive structure in one of the most suspenseful action scenes of the most recent “Mission: Impossible” movie, “Dead Reckoning – Part 1,” Cruise has already seen areas of the airport that ordinary travelers will never get to see.
Famous for pulling off his own daring stunts, Cruise was on the 315-meter-high roof of the Midfield Terminal to capture one of the film’s most “technically complex action scenes”. The interior of the terminal will also be heavily featured in the film, providing the public with their first look inside the enormous building.
The scenes took 21 days to plan, and 7 days to film, and 762 actors, crew members, and suppliers were involved.
However, the chance to view what the terminal looks like inside has long been overdue. In reality, the terminal was initially scheduled to open in early 2017, however, delays in the construction process caused the project’s schedule to keep slipping.
The terminal was subsequently rumored to open by the end of 2019, however, the year came to a close with no updates before the pandemic. The Abu Dhabi government allegedly terminated a contract with the construction firm that was developing the terminal in 2021, according to reports.
However, Etihad has recently announced aggressive growth plans, and a few months ago, sources began to speculate that the Midfield Terminal will be operational by the end of 2023.
The severely aging and congested terminal buildings in Abu Dhabi will be replaced by the Midfield Terminal. With a floor area of more than 742,000 square meters, 28,000 square meters of Duty-Free shops, and 30,000 square meters of premium lounges, it will have the capacity to service up to 84 million passengers annually.
“The scenes showcased in the movie are a testament to the architecture, scale and design of the iconic Midfield Terminal, which is inspired by the cultural elements of Abu Dhabi,” commented Elena Sorlini, the acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, on Sunday.
As the official airline of the “Mission: Impossible” series, Etihad Airways has decorated a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a special livery to commemorate the release of the seventh film in the series.
