From Carpool Karaoke to The Late Late Show with James Corden, James Corden always finds hilarious and fun ways to hang with today’s biggest stars and celebrities. One of Corden’s pals and Hollywood icons, Tom Cruise, recently had a big surprise.
To help promote his latest film, Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise invited Corden to the airport. A quick flight to a desert airstrip with Cruise at the controls wasn’t all Corden had to come. The next adventure proved to be terrifying. And knowing how Cruise had previously invited Corden to skydive with him, this latest surprise excursion would be a doozy.
A terrifying yet cool ride in a vintage jet
We know Tom Cruise can fly a plane. That’s not so scary, especially with the first flight taking place in a modern jet. However, Tom Cruise surprised James Corden by flying the two to a desert airfield. And as Today called it, the danger zone met the funny bone in this hilarious yet terrifying experience for Corden.
When the next plane ride was revealed to be in a vintage 1944 fighter plane, Corden grew incredibly nervous. He said to Cruise, “with all due respect; you played a lawyer in A Few Good Men. I wouldn’t want you to represent me in court.”
James Corden’s hilarious reaction to the wild ride
You can watch the whole encounter on YouTube via The Late Late Show with James Corden. But be prepared for your stomach to hurt from laughing. As the pair prepped for flight in this vintage fighter plane, Corden inquired about what to do should there be a malfunction. Cruise responded by saying he’d just “roll the plane over” and dump him out. “I’m going to plop you out,” he said, leaving Corden looking stunned and terrified.
Corden’s reactions throughout the flight were downright gut-busting. Upon takeoff, he asked Cruise for the Wi-Fi password. He signaled “help me” to the camera and called Cruise a “madman” as they soared over a mountain. In another instance, Cruise is pointing out trees nearby when Corden responds, “this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
The 75-year-old jet was very much Top Gun style, in its prime, and quite the war machine. It’s a P-51 Mustang that Cruise himself purchased in 2001. According to World War Wings, he would also frequently give his friends rides in this iconic piece of flying history.
Tom Cruise is back in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Unless you’ve been off-grid, you likely have heard the buzz about the Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick hitting theaters. It’s a box office smash, but don’t worry; no spoilers here if you haven’t seen it yet. Although you should prepare for an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride featuring the military’s most dynamic aircraft.
Tom Cruise may have a pilot’s license for recreational flight, but the Pentagon wouldn’t allow him to fly the official military craft in the movie. And you know Cruise is all about doing his own stunts whenever possible, so he was disappointed. Instead, according to Fortune, the actors were positioned behind the official F/A-18 pilots only after they’d completed required safety training on how to eject during an emergency situation.
However, Tom Cruise did get to interject some of his previous Top Gun and flight knowledge for the movie. He created his very own flight training program, far more demanding than the standard requirements, to help the movie’s younger stars prepare for and withstand the intense, nausea-inducing jarring of aerial flight maneuvers.
Check out the video of James Corden’s terrifying flight with Tom Cruise. You’ll get to appreciate a cool 1944 vintage plane and probably laugh a bit as the two pull off their stunt to help promote the new movie.
RELATED: Celebrities With Wild Rides