Hollywood actor Tom Cruise has reportedly employed hawks to prevent pigeons from appearing on the set of Mission: Impossible 8.

The 61-year-old actor has been seen in various locations across the UK as filming for the highly-anticipated film franchise progresses. In order to deter pigeons from interfering with the scenes being shot in London’s Trafalgar Square, handlers have introduced birds of prey, the Sun reported.

Trafalgar Square attracts thousands of pigeons daily, as the capital city is home to approximately three million of them. A source revealed that this strategic measure ensured smooth filming without any disruptions.

Recently, Tom was observed engaging in a confrontational scene in Trafalgar Square, where American soldiers and police officers were present, along with an army tank stationed outside a specially constructed tube station. In this sequence, Tom’s character, Ethan Hunt, met up with Simon Pegg’s character, Benji Dunn.

The actors were seen exchanging greetings, with Tom sporting a black leather jacket and Simon wearing a tan blazer.

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Tom returned to the UK to shoot the eighth installment of Mission: Impossible, which took place near Westminster, just a few streets away from Downing Street. The upcoming film, expected to be titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, is slated for release on May 23, 2025, following the release of Dead Reckoning Part One in July of last year.

Originally scheduled for this summer, MI:8 experienced production delays due to the Hollywood writers’ strike. Initially, filming for the eighth film paused so that the cast could promote Part One, and subsequently, the strike caused further setbacks.

The Mission: Impossible film series, based on the 1966 television series of the same name, debuted in 1996.

Alongside Tom, the eighth installment will feature returning stars Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, and Vanessa Kirby.

Despite Tom’s efforts to extend its theatrical run, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One did not perform as well at the box office as its predecessors.

During his time in Europe, Tom has managed to balance work and leisure, even attending Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday celebration alongside his friends, the Beckhams.