Tom Cruise thanks fans for supporting ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ — while free-falling from a plane

By Toyin Owoseje, CNN

When it comes to Tom Cruise‘s daredevil stunts, the sky is literally the limit.

On Sunday, the 60-year-old Hollywood action hero shared a video of himself thanking fans for making “Top Gun: Maverick” a box office hit –while flinging himself out of a plane.

“Hey everyone, here we are over stunning South Africa, and we’re filming ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning’ parts one and two,” Cruise yells to the camera, while hanging out the door of the plane. “I didn’t want the year to end without thanking you all for coming out to the theaters, and thank you for supporting ‘Top Gun: Maverick.'”

The camera then pans to reveal director Christopher McQuarrie, who returned to the action franchise to helm “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning.”

McQuarrie, who also co-wrote the screenplay for “Top Gun: Maverick,” reminds the leading man that they are on set — “gotta get the shot” — before declining Cruise’s invitation to join him in his skydive.

Cruise, who is known for performing his own stunts, then jumps from the plane, before turning back to the camera as he free-falls.

“Thank you for allowing us to entertain you. It truly is the honor of a lifetime,” he tells fans. “I’m running out of altitude, so I have to get back to work — we have to get this shot — you have a very safe and happy holiday, we’ll see you at the movies.”

“Top Gun: Maverick,” released in May this year, saw Cruise reprise the famous role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, to return to the Top Gun academy to train fighter pilots. The sequel to the 1986 blockbuster became the first of Cruise’s films to reach the billion-dollar milestone at the box office.

And fans definitely appreciated Cruise going to great heights to deliver his thank you message.

One wrote under his post on Instagram: “Forget Marvel! @tomcruise is the real action hero! Thanks for making going to the movies a thrill again!”

Another said: “Tom Cruise saving the whole movie industry with risking his own life to entertain..! Rest of the movie world, take a note!”

A third added: “He’s a madman, in the best way.”

“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One,” is scheduled for release in July next year.

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CNN’s Frank Pallotta contributed to this report.