After delivering a star-studded opening ceremony that saw the comeback of Celine Dion, Paris Olympics artistic director Thomas Jolly is employing one of Hollywood’s biggest names for the Games’ closing ceremony on Aug. 11.
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Tom Cruise, who is currently filming “Mission: Impossible 8” in Europe and attended the opening ceremony in addition to women’s gymnastics and swimming competitions, will be one of the highlights of the closing ceremony, a source close to the Olympics organizing committee confirmed to Variety.
As reported by the French blog Sortir à Paris in May, Cruise was caught filming a scene while riding a motorcycle that sported a large flag. He then departed from the Arc de Triomphe and drove along the iconic Champs-Élysées Avenue. The actor, who was inducted Knight of France’s prestigious Legion of Honor last week, will be handing over the flag to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games.
Representatives for Cruise did not immediately respond to Variety ‘s request for comment.
Titled “Records” and hosted indoors on the 2,800 square meter stage of the Stade de France, the closing ceremony promises “new interpretations” and will “take spectators on a journey through time, both past and future,” organizers stated. The show will chart milestones throughout the history of the Olympic Games, which is believed to date back to Ancient Greece.
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Jolly ended up in hot water after venturing in Greek mythology territory with the opening ceremony’s controversial scene that featured a singer costumed as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, alongside dazzling drag queens posing in what looked like a reference to Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” The artistic director denied the parallel , saying that he intended on portraying “a grand pagan festival connected to the gods of Olympus.” It remained to be seen how politically-loaded the Greek references will play out this time around.
The show — which organizers promise will bring together “world famous performers” and “over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists” — will also include a performance set in a dystopian environment, in addition to a choreography involving the Olympics’ five interlaced rings which represent the world’s five continents (as pictured during rehearsal).
The organizers’ toughest task for the closing ceremony will be to match the excitement and emotion of Celine Dion ‘s performance on the base of the Eiffel Tower and Lady Gaga ‘s cabaret-inspired musical act along the Seine river. On the upside, with the closing ceremony taking place indoors, organizers are probably saving a lot of time trying to predict the weather. The opening ceremony, which marked the first time in modern history the event was held entirely outdoors, ultimately took place under pouring rain and forced Gaga to pre-tape her segment.
While the opening ceremony ruffled feathers, mainly among conservative Christians, it has also been widely celebrated. The creative team behind the show are among the finalists for this year’s IBC Innovation Awards which honor collaborative initiatives in media, entertainment and technology.
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