Tom Cruise thanks people of Abu Dhabi for warm welcome

The Hollywood star was in the UAE capital for the Middle East premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Tom Cruise speaks during the premiere of Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Fans take photos with Cruise

Actress Pom Klementieff speaks at the event

A fan hugs actor Simon Pegg

Cruise raved about Abu Dhabi as a filming location

Excited fans wait for the stars of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One to arrive

Fans take photos with Cruise

English actor Pegg points at fans

Cruise signs autographs on the red carpet

From left, cast members Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Cruise, Klementieff and director Christopher McQuarrie

Fans take photos with Cruise

Klementieff on the red carpet

Cruise waves to fans

Pegg and Atwell interact with fans

Director McQuarrie on the red carpet

Cruise speaks to media

Actress Atwell on the red carpet

Cruise signs autographs on the red carpet

Tom Cruise has thanked the people of Abu Dhabi “for such a warm welcome and for supporting our movie”.

The Hollywood star, 60, expressed his gratitude with an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Sharing pictures from the regional premiere of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, he added: “It was such an honour to film in your beautiful country and bring your new airport to life.”

Cruise joined his Mission: Impossible co-stars and director Christopher McQuarrie for the film's Middle East premiere in the UAE capital on Monday

At the lavish event held at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Cruise appeared on the red carpet to adoring cheers as fans yelled, “We love Tom”. He also took time to sign film posters and pose for selfies with fans.

Actors Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff also walked the red carpet and spent time interacting with fans.

Cruise told The National that he looks forward to his visits to Abu Dhabi.

He said that filming in the UAE capital was always memorable, particularly for its photogenic locations and the professionalism of the local crew.

“It’s great to be back,” he said. “The people are amazing. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to come film here. Now I have so many friends [here]. Also, the film crew that we had here, that we worked together with, it was a wonderful experience.”

At the screening of the film, Cruise also thanked Abu Dhabi's leaders for their support, saying the UAE has “such a beautiful and elegant culture and it's a privilege for all of us to be here”.

The actor also took time off to visit Louvre Abu Dhabi where he toured the museum and met the team.

Filming for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One took place in the UAE capital over 15 days in 2021, with locations in the Liwa desert and at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Midfield Terminal.

Cruise and the film's cast and crew landed in Abu Dhabi on Sunday in a custom Etihad Airways plane. Arriving at the Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Midfield Terminal, Cruise unveiled a new livery on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner that features Mission: Impossible branding on its engines.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh film in the blockbuster franchise. Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt, leading the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) into its most dangerous mission yet.

The film is scheduled to be released in the UAE on July 9, three days before it hits cinemas in the US.