Christopher McQuarrie reveals audience member 'almost had a heart attack' during Mission: Impossible screening

Christopher McQuarrie has revealed that an audience member "almost had a heart attack" during a screening of 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning'.

The 56-year-old filmmaker is once again behind the camera on the latest movie in the Tom Cruise-led franchise and revealed how one of the picture's intense action sequences nearly led to a medical emergency.

McQuarrie told Empire magazine: "We had a small screening, and someone said, 'I was suffocating throughout the entire sequence. I almost had a heart attack.' And I thought, 'I guess we did something right.'"

The director promised that the franchise's eighth film – set for release in May – will give fans the chance to see more of the characters Grace (Hayley Atwell), Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis) and Paris (Pom Klementieff) and discover their complex relationships with Cruise's agent Ethan Hunt.

He said: "I can only say that the end of the world makes strange bedfellows. And I'm excited for people to see the evolution of Paris, Degas and Grace."

McQuarrie explained that he doesn't want characters to be pigeonholed in the films as tech wizards or all-action agents.

The filmmaker, who has helmed four movies in the series, said: "'Mission' has a mind of its own.

"If you say, 'I want a character who does this', you'll be disappointed. If, however, you approach it obliquely, the movie will reward you, and you will find yourself doing things you never thought you would."

Meanwhile, Shea Whigham – who will be reprising his role as US intelligence officer Jasper Briggs – has promised fans that 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' will be "amazing".

In an interview with MovieWeb, the 56-year-old actor said: "I think it's going to be amazing. I really do, because of [Tom] and McQuarrie there ... I've got to be careful. I can't give away too much. I get in trouble. I've gotten in trouble already.

"I think one of the great things is just to be around these guys that love cinema. I mean, Tom, there's nothing phoney about him when he says how much he loves and he wants people to come to see movies.

"There’s a reason why they’re getting better. Each 'Mission' gets better."

Whigham isn't the only cast member to praise the upcoming film as Simon Pegg – who plays secret agent Benji Dunn in the spy series – insisted that it would be the "best one" in the franchise.

He told the 'Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum' podcast: "I have just finished shooting. I have one day left of pick-ups to do. I've seen it. It's bananas. It's absolutely bananas."

The 'Shaun of the Dead' actor added that his co-star Cruise had worked on some huge stunts for the movie that will leave audiences speechless.

He continued: "What he does in this one, it boggles the mind. I think this one is the best one ever. And I'm not just saying that because it's like, 'Oh, you've got to say that.' It is going to be great."