However somebody crashed their date: Tom Cruise, himself.
“My spouse’s jaw dropped. I used to be elated,” Khanna, 47, advised The Washington Publish. “I bear in mind squinting to verify it’s actually him. … It’s one thing I’ll at all times bear in mind for the remainder of my life. I felt like a child the remainder of the day.”
Cruise and the movie’s director, Christopher McQuarrie, shocked followers like Khanna by instantly taking the stage simply earlier than the movie started at AMC Georgetown 14 in Washington. Cruise and McQuarrie shocked Atlanta fans later that same day.
Khanna shared a video with The Publish of the looks, however staff on the theater, maybe sworn to secrecy by the film franchise’s fictional spy company, declined to verify if the go to occurred.
“I didn’t hear something about that,” a supervisor advised The Publish.
For Khanna, it was the second of a lifetime. (And probably the most effective date he’s ever deliberate, Khanna added.)
Khanna and his spouse snagged tickets to the matinee a few month prematurely — a testomony to Khanna’s enduring love for the franchise. “Every part was about being Ethan Hunt, my model of it. I’d at all times rally my pals to go see the flicks on opening days.”
After they confirmed as much as the theater round 2 p.m., there was extra exercise than they anticipated: free popcorn, drinks, T-shirts and hats.
“My spouse was like, ‘I haven’t been to a film in a very long time, is that this how motion pictures are actually?’” Khanna mentioned laughingly. His spouse remained confused; Khanna figured that everybody else have to be as excited as him for the brand new movie.
As they walked into their exhibiting room, a theater worker suspiciously advised the couple that they’re in “for an actual deal with,” Khanna recalled. “I didn’t assume twice. I’m consuming it up.”
A lot of males in fits have been scattered all through the room, the couple seen. “It appeared a bit too formal for an AMC,” Khanna mentioned. Nonetheless, he didn’t query something.
Then there was a digital camera. “My spouse’s asking, ‘Is somebody going to come back out and say one thing?” Khanna mentioned. The lights dimmed, and trailers started. Trailers for “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” seized the display screen, suggesting enterprise as traditional. “It appeared just like the film is about to get began.”
The lights turned again on. Cruise and McQuarrie sauntered out of an exit door by the display screen and took the stage with a mic. “Everybody’s simply shellshocked. It wasn’t screaming. It was virtually silent for a minute,” Khanna mentioned. “Then it erupted.”
Cruise and McQuarrie thanked individuals for popping out, including that it was nice seeing individuals again in theaters, a enterprise hit laborious by the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s nice seeing you all. How are you?” Cruise mentioned within the video Khanna shared with The Publish. The group cheered. “You all benefit from the movie. Have an important summer time, okay?”
The actor and director stayed for a couple of minutes, after which the lights dimmed once more, and the film started.
“There was a component of shock, no query,” Khanna mentioned. “I didn’t know the way I used to be going to sleep that evening.”
And, in line with Khanna, the film was unbelievable. “Precisely what a summer time blockbuster is meant to be.”
