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The Mission: Impossible movies have had quite a run. Several, actually, thanks to Tom Cruise. So famous was Tom Cruise's tendency to run for long stretches in the M:I movies that, when Glen Powell booked the leading role in The Running Man, Cruise was the first person Powell called.

The story comes out of CinemaCon, where Deadline was covering the panel teasing audiences with the upcoming Edgar Wright-directed project (and in case you're wondering, no, this Running Man is not a bipoic of Cruise - it's an adaptation of the famous Stephen King story of the same name). During said panel, it-guy Powell told the assembled crowd that not only did he call Cruise for advice, but that the advice he gave him was essntial.

"[Cruise is] a guy that doesn’t hide his excitement about what this all means," Powell said of the Top Gun star, who Deadline calls his "mentor," "You know, the theatrical experience and working hard and investing and putting your body on the line to entertain audiences. So when I was cast, Tom was my first call … to learn how to run."

And what advice did Mr. Cruise give?

"'Film yourself running as soon as possible,'" Powell reports, "'You don’t look as cool as you think.'"

Apparently, he was right. Powell reports that after the call, he also spoke to several stunt coaches about the long strides he'll need to complete for the movie's filming, and their advice was to listen to Tom's. 

"[They say]," Powell says, "There’s, like, only one actor that knows how to run on screen. It’s Tom Cruise."

But running won't be the only thing Powell will be doing in The Running Man, title aside. Powell told the assembled crowd that he'd be put through walls, propelled by explosions, and morre.

"I knew we were going to be shooting a lot of practical stunts on this movie," he said, "And I definitely got in what I call bulletproof shape, just knowing I was going to have to take some hits. But I don’t think I fully prepped myself for what we tackled on this one."

I guess no one piece of advice can prepare you for everything. even if it comes from Tom Cruise.

The Running Man runs into theaters (what else would it do?) November 7.

Keep up (get it?) with Tom Cruise via Popverse's Mission: Impossible watch order.