After hosting a star-studded opening ceremony that featured the return of Celine Dion, Paris Olympics artistic director Thomas Joly is bringing in one of Hollywood's biggest names for the Games' closing ceremony on August 11.
A source close to the Olympics organizing committee confirmed to Al-Ain Al-Akhbariya that Tom Cruise, who is currently filming the movie “Mission Impossible 8” in Europe and attended the opening ceremony in addition to the women’s gymnastics and swimming competitions, will be one of the most prominent events of the closing ceremony. diverse.
As the French blog Sortir à Paris reported in May, Cruise was caught filming a scene while riding a motorcycle carrying a large flag. He then left the Arc de Triomphe and drove along the famous Champs-Élysées. The actor, who was honored with France’s prestigious Legion of Honor last week, will deliver the flag to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics.
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Organisers said the closing ceremony, titled “Records” and held indoors on a 2,800-square-metre stage at the Stade de France, promises “new interpretations” and will “take spectators on a journey through time, past and future”. The show will chronicle the most important events in the history of the Olympic Games, which are believed to date back to ancient Greece.
Jolie ended up in hot water after venturing into Greek mythology territory with a controversial opening ceremony scene that featured a singer dressed as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, alongside glamorous drag queens in poses that seemed to reference Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” The artistic director denied the similarity, saying he intended to depict “a great pagan festival associated with the gods of Olympus.” It remains to be seen how political the Greek references will be this time around.
The show — which organizers promise will bring together “world-renowned performers” and “more than a hundred artists, acrobats, dancers and circus artists” — will also include a performance in a dystopian setting, as well as dances featuring the five interlocking rings of the Olympic Games representing the five continents of the world (as seen during rehearsal).
The toughest task for organizers of the closing ceremony will be to reconcile the excitement and emotion of Celine Dion’s performance at the base of the Eiffel Tower with Lady Gaga’s cabaret-inspired musical show along the Seine. On the other hand, by holding the closing ceremony indoors, organizers may save a lot of time trying to predict the weather. After all, the opening ceremony, the first in modern history to be held entirely outdoors, was held in heavy rain, forcing Gaga to pre-record her set.
Although the opening ceremony drew ire from conservative Christians, it was met with widespread acclaim. The creative team behind the show was a finalist in this year’s IBC Innovation Awards, which honor collaborative initiatives in media, entertainment and technology.
