As anticipation builds for the Paris Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday, all eyes are on Tom Cruise, who is widely predicted to engage in a thrilling, death-defying stunt on the roof of the Stade de France. This dramatic event will mark the ceremonial passing of the five-ring flag to Los Angeles, setting the stage for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Two weeks after the unprecedented and complex opening ceremony along the River Seine, expectations are high for a memorable conclusion to the Games. The closing ceremony, though shorter, promises to be equally impressive and will take place at France’s national stadium, offering a more traditional but no less spectacular setting.
A Blend of Wonder and Dystopia
Artistic director Thomas Jolly has teased a ceremony that will blend “wonder” with “dystopia,” indicating a shift from the joyful and irreverent tone of the opening ceremony that captivated a record audience of more than a billion viewers worldwide. Jolly provided a glimpse into his vision, describing the Games as a “fragile monument” and exploring the concept of their disappearance and subsequent reconstruction in a distant future.
One of the key sequences will feature “travellers from another space-time who arrive on Earth and discover vestiges from the history of the Olympics,” with acrobats restoring the iconic five rings of the Games. The ceremony is set to include over 100 dancers, circus artists, and other performers, with promises of aerial displays, giant sets, and spectacular lighting.
Hollywood Comes to Paris
The opening ceremony featured an array of stars such as Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, and Aya Nakamura, and the closing event is expected to draw even more high-profile celebrities. Tom Cruise, known for his daredevil stunts, has been a notable presence at several Olympic events and is rumored to be preparing a spectacular act to symbolically transfer the Olympic flag to Los Angeles. Reports suggest that video sequences for this stunt have already been filmed on both sides of the Atlantic.
Other Hollywood stars who have attended the Games, including Snoop Dogg, Eva Mendes, Ryan Gosling, and Sharon Stone, may also play roles in the closing ceremony. There are unconfirmed rumors that Beyoncé, a fervent supporter of the US team on social media, may perform.
Musical Highlights and Controversy
French musical acts Air and Phoenix are slated to perform, according to Le Parisien newspaper. Organizers will be keen to avoid the controversy sparked by the opening ceremony, which featured drag queens in a sequence that some Christians and conservatives believed mocked the Biblical story of The Last Supper. The organizers insisted it was a reference to Greek gods, but the backlash led to social media harassment of Jolly and his team, prompting police investigations and condemnation from French President Emmanuel Macron.
