Rugby legend calls for Matildas to complete revenge mission on England after the pain of the 2003 World Cup: ‘It still haunts me’

By Darren Walton For Australian Associated Press

Published: 02:38 EDT, 15 August 2023 | Updated: 02:38 EDT, 15 August 2023

The small matter of saving the world from potential annihilation appeared to be taking its toll on Wednesday as Tom Cruise promoted his latest blockbuster in South Korea. 

The Hollywood legend is currently working his way through a promotional tour on behalf of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – the seventh instalment in the long-running film franchise. 

But he looked ready to hang up the bullet proof vest and retire to bed during a press conference in Seoul, where he was joined by co-stars Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby and Pom Klementieff. 

The cast were accompanied by director James McQuarrie as they fielded questions about the forthcoming film, shot on location across England and mainland Europe at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.  

Cruise has used his considerable platform to urge people to head to the cinema this summer to catch films like Barbie, Oppenheimer and his latest Mission: Impossible offering. 

The actor took to Instagram to encourage people to see movies on the big screen despite the glorious weather, amid a challenging time for cinemas.

As well as paying tribute to Indiana Jones legend Harrison Ford as the fifth film hit screens, Cruise said he’s looking forward to Greta Gerwig’s Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-starring live-action Barbie film and Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller.

He wrote: This summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. These are just a few that we can’t wait to see on the big screen.

‘Congratulations, Harrison Ford, on 40 years of Indiana Jones and creating one of the most iconic characters in cinema history. You have given us countless hours of joy.

‘I love a double feature, and it doesn’t get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.’ 

The Hollywood star was seen in one picture in the post holding his Cineworld cinema ticket.

The cinema chain was hit particularly hard amid the COVID-19 pandemic and was facing closure, but it has been saved from bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Cruise recently hailed Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is the perfect entry point into the franchise for newcomers.

The actor starred in the first ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie in 1996, and Tom believes the new film could help to attract new, younger viewers to the franchise.

He told Collider: ‘They could start with this film to see and understand that this is all real, all the action is real, it’s practical. This movie is an epic adventure. It’s so lush, filled with practical action and amazing locations.”

Cruise believes the new film has a “very engrossing story”.

The veteran actor also hailed the movie’s star-studded cast, which includes Hayley Atwell, Rebecca Ferguson and Simon Pegg.

He said: ‘[The movie has] submarines, it has the desert, it has Rome, beautiful locations in Abu Dhabi, Norway, a train that we built, action on the train, and a very engrossing story with a really beautiful cast, an amazing, very charismatic cast.

‘I think when you look at this movie, it really defines what I think about cinema and why because you look at this kind of cast, you look at a brilliant ensemble cast, and the kind of story is very engrossing.’