Wade Eastwood

Prior to redefining the limits – and raising the bar – of action directing for mega franchises like Mission: Impossible, Jumanji, Men in Black and Jack Reacher, Wade himself was a real-life action hero.

Serving in the National Sea Rescue in his native South Africa, volunteering for air/sea operations, in addition to being an accomplished master diver, licensed skydiver, black belt in martial arts, gold awarded fencer, boxer, horse rider, licensed driver for Formula 3 – prototypes and sports cars – Wade was well-primed for his award-winning career as a stunt and action director.

From Chris Hemsworth fighting an alien ex-girlfriend with three arms in hand-to-hand-to-hand combat, to Tom Cruise gripping the side of a monstrous Airbus A400M, to the relentless helicopter-to-helicopter chase through the jagged mountain corridors of Kashmir, Wade’s deep understanding of the dramatic and emotional components of character-driven action has elevated the sequences he has directed across his filmography. His work spans the Mission: Impossible franchise: Rogue, Fallout, and Dead Reckoning (for which he won Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble at the SAG Awards), as well as The Mummy, Inferno, and Jack Reacher, helping define the apex of the modern action genre.

Wade also created and directed the action sequences for the latest Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, once again starring Tom Cruise, and won the 2026 Critics Choice Award for Best Stunt Design.