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Cruise believes that executing daring stunts himself makes the movie captivating and deserving of audience anticipation.
Top Gun: Maverick (original title: Top Gun Maverick) takes audiences into the world of fighter jets under the command of global star Tom Cruise. Not only does he perform his own action scenes, but the actor also goes further by instructing co-stars on piloting to bring authenticity without relying on any special effects.
The Bold Star Always Craves Adventure
World-renowned for his love of performing his own stunts, Tom Cruise always gives 100% to every role. Cruise has scaled the tallest building in the world, hung from a plane, and fractured his ankle jumping off a rooftop. He even plans to fly to space for filming in zero-gravity conditions.
This strong spirit aligns with the actor's acting philosophy: 'I feel that in acting, you have to give your all, both physically and mentally, to a character in the story. I've been training for action scenes for 30 years, and that allows me to do things that seem impossible'.
Cruise believes that executing perilous stunts himself makes the film captivating and deserving of audience anticipation. There's nothing more disappointing than watching an action movie and suddenly realizing that the most thrilling scenes are shot in a carefully concealed manner, hiding the truth that the performer is a stunt double instead of the lead actor. Cruise is aware of this trap, applying both his skills and steely determination to execute breathtaking action sequences, immersing audiences into the authentic world of action.
That has been demonstrated in the Mission Impossible series as well as the Top Gun franchise, as this time Tom Cruise's return comes with truly in-depth training activities for the cast.
The Strong Influence of the Top Gun Brand
The success of the first film Top Gun as well as Tom Cruise's journey has inspired the creation of the sequel Top Gun: Maverick under the direction of Joseph Kosinski. The 1986 film propelled Tom Cruise from a promising young face to a movie star, telling a compelling story of friendship, bravery, and pride.
Top Gun has been beloved by fans and filmmakers alike and is often regarded as one of Cruise's finest works. It grossed over $356 million at the box office with a budget of $15 million and won the Oscar for Best Original Song Take My Breath Away in Berlin. The film has become a hallmark of cinematic homage to cultural reverence for many years since its release.
Three decades later, Maverick/Tom Cruise returns to where he began, this time with a new mission. Tom Cruise's involvement signifies a deeper dive into the real-life fighter pilot experience. Therefore, aerial scenes will utilize real aircraft instead of CGI. While Top Gun revolutionized aerial filming, the sequel promises even more spectacular sky-high maneuvers.
The Navy and TOPGUN school were invited to ensure maximum authenticity for the film. Even before filming began, a meticulous plan was laid out. Actors not only had to coordinate and interact according to the script but also had to deal with harsh conditions on the aircraft, including pressures that could cause unconsciousness. IMAX-quality cameras were placed in the cockpit, capturing every moment, pressure, speed, tension, and the 'million-dollar view' from above. All led by 'conductor' Tom Cruise.
Behind-the-Scenes Story of Tom and the Cast's Training Phase
According to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the cast underwent three months of 'exhausting' training provided by the US Navy and a flight program developed by Cruise himself. Actors even got on real planes to experience the feeling of sitting on a combat aircraft. First, Tom Cruise would instruct colleagues on how to operate and fly light aircraft 'to gain awareness of space within the aircraft.' Then they would fly in L-39s to experience what jet planes feel like before being launched from aircraft carriers on the famous F-18 fighters.
Cruise wants the film's dangerous sequences to be as authentic as possible: 'If we're doing it, we've got to be flying in F-18s.' Ultimately, when in the cockpit of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, actors had to learn how to use special cameras. Cruise explained: 'I taught them film techniques and lighting so they understood what would look good when they got on camera'.
With all the effort the cast put into getting accustomed to the environment and operating cameras on fighter jets, it's evident the team wants to deliver the best for the film. Top Gun: Maverick, featuring actors Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer, is scheduled to premiere on July 25, 2022.
Top Gun: Maverick is slated for release on May 27, 2022.
