Tom Cruise is a longtime fan of Vienna. In fact, the premiere of Oblivion was held at Vienna’s historic Gartenbaukino in 2013 at his personal request. Director Christopher McQuarrie was also eager to film in the city that served as the backdrop for the classic films The Third Man and The Miracle of the White Stallions—a Disney production about the rescue of the famous Lipizzaner horses during the bombing of Vienna in World War II, although it remains relatively unknown outside certain audiences. Ultimately, the Vienna State Opera became one of the film’s most important locations.

Schottenring Station

The production team scouted a wide variety of locations with the goal of showcasing both Vienna’s historic charm and its modern architecture. They explored the city’s famous sewer system, immortalized in The Third Man, as well as the striking buildings of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, including the futuristic architecture designed by Zaha Hadid. In the end, Schottenring Station was chosen for its distinctive exposed-concrete design and bold Brutalist aesthetic.

Vienna State Opera

One of the defining characteristics of the Mission: Impossible series is its reliance on practical action sequences rather than computer-generated effects. This was also true for the spectacular scenes filmed outside the Vienna State Opera. Inside the opera house, however, the production had only limited access because performances could not be interrupted. As a result, many of the interior action scenes were later recreated and filmed in London.

Vienna’s prominent role in the film is largely thanks to the spontaneity of the production team. Last-minute screenplay changes required everyone involved to adapt quickly and remain highly flexible. During filming in the summer of 2014, lucky fans even had the chance to see the stars up close. As always, Tom Cruise was in great spirits and took time to meet and greet fans between takes.

The good news is that the filming locations from Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation are still easy to visit today. Both the square in front of the Vienna State Opera and Schottenring Station allow fans to stand in the very places where Ethan Hunt and Benji Dunn, played by Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg, pursued the mysterious Syndicate.

Would you like to discover the original filming locations in person?

The FILMED ON LOCATION audio tour takes you to the most important Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nationfilming locations while sharing fascinating behind-the-scenes stories exactly where they happened. Find all the details here:

Before Sunrise

James Bond 007 – The Living Daylights

The Third Man

Extraction 2

The Boys from Brazil

Scorpio