2014's Edge of Tomorrow proved a hit with audiences and critics upon release, but just how many times does Tom Cruise's protagonist Major William Cage die in the sci-fi action spectacular? Bring its own unique spin to the Groundhog Day time-travel trope, Edge of Tomorrow almost unfolds like a live-action video game where its main character keeps respawning at a checkpoint every time he dies. Like every character stuck in a time loop, he takes time to figure out what is happening. However, when he finally does, the stakes of his mission skyrocket, leaving him with the responsibility of saving humanity.

Directed by Doug Liman, the Tom Cruise movie never leaves a dull moment with its loopy storyline. Every time it seems like the main character and his allies have figured out how they can defeat the overarching alien threat and end the time looping, the film introduces another twist that sends them back to level one, triggering another series of deaths and re-spawns. Since Tom Cruise's character's deaths are the primary drivers of Edge of Tomorrow's story, it is hard not to wonder how many times he dies in the film.

Tom Cruise's Cage Dies 26 Times In Edge Of Tomorrow

Only On Camera

Much of the film's action and humor comes from Cruise's reluctant soldier being forced to train up and start utilizing this ability to fight the alien foes. Soon, Cruise is in a Edge of Tomorrow ends its runtime.

Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise had to wear heavy metal suits that weighed around 85 pounds (39 kg) for the battle scenes in Edge of Tomorrow.

It is important to note that Cruise's character is killed ten times in quick succession during one training montage, which is played for some grim laughs. Even in the opening arc of the film, where Tom Cruise's character finds himself on the battleground without any war experience, his death count rises to five in a matter of minutes. His deaths during these initial moments are not even surprising, given how he previously worked in PR and never experienced a full-blown battle up front.

Various attempts to reach the dam for the next six deaths after training. These are the last five deaths, taking place in the pub, inside the chopper, at the dam, at the General's office, and, finally, during Cage's heroic self-sacrifice at the Louvre. Therefore, Major William Cage experiences a total of twenty-six deaths before he finally comes out on top (provided Edge of Tomorrow 2, if it happens, doesn't undo all his hard work).

Cage's Death Count In Edge Of Tomorrow's Book Is Much Higher

The Movie Also Hints At A Higher Off-Screen Death Count

The film's source material, a light novel entitled All You Need Is Kill, mentions that the character dies over three hundred times during the course of his mission. However, the movie seems different because it never explicitly mentions the character's death count. In of on-screen offings, viewers are only privy to ten of love interest Rita's deaths and twenty-six of Cage's, with five taking place on the beach, sixteen in various stages of training, and the final five in Cage's successful attempt at defeating the Mimics.

Considering the cycles of life and death in the movie, Doug Liman wanted to name it Live Die Repeat. However, a Warner Bros executive came up with Edge of Tomorrow as the film's title, which was ultimately finalized as the film's official name.

However, it must be noted that the film hints that Cage dies more than 26 times. It features a scene in which Sergeant Rita Vrataski is surprised by all the details Cage knows about her personal life because she does not recall telling him about them. This highlights that Cage might have gone through the time loops hundreds of times, if not thousands, before falling in love with Rita.

Tom Cruise's Worst Death As Cage In Edge Of Tomorrow

Getting Run Over By A Military Truck Has To Be The Worst Way To Die

Although all the deaths in Edge of Tomorrow are hilariously painful, the one that somehow seems worse than all the others is when the Tom Cruise character gets crushed under a military truck. Throughout the movie's runtime, Cage gets shot, burnt by alien blood, and even drowns. However, for some reason, getting crushed under a truck seems like the most painful way for him to die in Edge of Tomorrow because it starkly underscores the futility and helplessness of his repeated attempts to change his fate and become a hero, even though he initially lacks the brain and the brawn to do either.