Following a spectacular opening ceremony that saw the triumphant return of Celine Dion, Paris Olympics artistic director Thomas Jolly is enlisting Hollywood icon Tom Cruise for the closing ceremony on August 11.

Cruise, currently in Europe filming “Mission: Impossible 8,” attended the opening ceremony and various events such as women’s gymnastics and swimming competitions. A source close to the Olympics organizing committee confirmed to Variety that Cruise will be a major highlight of the closing ceremony.

In May, the French blog Sortir à Paris reported Cruise filming a scene on a motorcycle adorned with a large flag. He rode from the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Élysées Avenue. Recently knighted into France’s prestigious Legion of Honor, Cruise will symbolically hand over the Olympic flag to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games.

The closing ceremony, titled “Records,” will take place indoors at the Stade de France on a 2,800 square meter stage. Organizers promise a journey through the history of the Olympic Games, with “new interpretations” that encompass both past and future milestones.

Thomas Jolly faced controversy during the opening ceremony due to a scene involving a singer dressed as Dionysus, accompanied by drag queens, in a tableau resembling Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Jolly clarified that the scene was meant to depict “a grand pagan festival connected to the gods of Olympus.”

The closing ceremony aims to feature “world-famous performers,” over a hundred acrobats, dancers, and circus artists, and a segment set in a dystopian environment. A choreography involving the Olympics’ five interlaced rings, representing the world’s continents, will also be included.

Matching the opening ceremony’s excitement, which featured Celine Dion performing at the Eiffel Tower base and Lady Gaga’s cabaret act along the Seine, will be a challenge. However, the indoor setting for the closing ceremony eliminates concerns about weather disruptions, which affected the rain-soaked opening event.

Despite stirring some controversy, the opening ceremony received widespread acclaim and has positioned the creative team as finalists for the IBC Innovation Awards, which celebrate collaborative efforts in media, entertainment, and technology.

Tom Cruise’s participation is expected to add significant star power to the closing ceremony, promising an unforgettable conclusion to the Paris Olympics.

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