Now 36 years later, Cruise returns as renegade Naval aviator Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick and this is a film that pushes the cinematic experience right to the edge. And it’ll have your heart thumping with adrenaline thanks to the roar of an F-18 at full velocity.

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”

Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.

Returning back to the flight deck thirty-six years after the original Top Gun, is Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise and time has not hampered this man’s enthusiasm for this story. With Top Gun: Maverick, we find Cruise back in the cockpit once more as ace Naval aviator Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell who, following the original film’s events, has continued to push the envelope as a Naval test pilot always seeking out grander challenges to overcome. But by a twist of fate, Maverick finds himself back at the famed school of dog-fighting in Fightertown USA, and in command of a whole new generation of pilots. And this mission is deeply personal for him. From start to finish this is Cruise in full control of the Top Gun cinematic experience and he makes sure that the action is epic, in-camera and that the G’s are real. Cruise promised audiences a bigger than life sequel and the ultimate cinematic experience. And he absolutely delivers on his promise.

Finding a collaborator in his Oblivion director Joseph Kosinski, these two men set out to present the blockbuster of all blockbusters. And they full-heartedly succeed, because Top Gun: Maverick brings all the fun, action and nostalgia of the original film, while also taking it to an incredible new height. Regarded as one of the best all-around visually gifted filmmakers working today, Kosinski’s films always have a unique look and polish to their imagery and his mission here is to put audiences right into the heart of the action. And he absolutely succeeds in doing this. Working together with Cruise, and with the support of the US Navy, Kosinski is able to film from inside the cockpit of active F-18 Super Hornet jets and the aerial action and photography of Top Gun: Maverick is utterly stunning to witness. You feel the pull and friction of 10G burns and the high-speed velocity of these next-generation fighters at max throttle will throw audiences right back into their seats.

Working hand in hand with the aerial action and high-speed turbulence of Top Gun: Maverick’s visuals are its heavy and dramatic story, and this is a film that will take audiences by surprise. While it is a quintessential, popcorn-munching rollercoaster of a ride, it’s a film of incredible depth and sincerity and examines one hotshot’s passage through time, and the inevitable change that we all come face-to-face within this lifetime. While he still might be a renegade who is constantly searching for the edge, Cruise’s Maverick is a man who now feels the responsibility of the present, and the past that has shaped it. Still carrying the guilt of the death of his best friend Goose with him, Maverick is a man who now strives to protect and mentor those new recruits under his command and there’s a deep sincerity in his actions throughout the film.

What we see in Cruise’s performance in Top Gun: Maverick is not the cocky, whizz kid pilot of the late 80s, but a more mature, confident expert who knows how the rules are broken, and more importantly what is needed to actually win out in the real world, life and death stakes of pure wartime combat. Maverick has no illusions about the dangers that lie ahead in this mission that he has been instructed to command, and we see him wrestling with some very heavy choices. What we get from Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick is a very different side to Maverick than what I think audiences were expecting. It’s a fuller performance, shaped by age, experience and the passing of time and Cruise plays a radically different side to Maverick this time around. But he’s still the same quintessential character and he takes audiences for a hell of a spin in this blockbuster.

Maverick’s actions in the sequel chiefly concern the presence of the young, brash and hotheaded Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, the son of his late RIO and best friend ‘Goose’, and from the first moments that these two come into contact, well, it’s not a very happy reunion. Maverick and Rooster have a bitter history with one another, and where Maverick has tried to be a father figure to the impulsive Rooster, this angry young man has cast him aside at every turn. Taking on the emotional Rooster is Miles Teller, and he does a great job in standing toe-to-toe with Cruise. While Rooster carries a great resentment towards Maverick, their relationship is far more complex than we first see at mere face value and as the narrative unfolds we see an interesting ‘father/son’ relationship build between the two of them that is shaped by the past that Maverick still holds onto as he attempts to give this young man a future worth living for.

Alongside Roster, Top Gun: Maverick also sees a brand new group of young TOP GUN recruits who are pulled together for the film’s TOP SECRET mission. As the antagonistic and arrogant Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin, Glen Powell marks himself out as a cocky flyboy who seems to have all the answers and is very happy to not be a team player; then there’s the capable and edgy Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trac, played by Monica Barbaro, who completely holds her own in both the cockpit and testosterone-soaked environment of the TOP GUN school, and finally, the film finds a good dose of comedy thanks to Lt. Robert “Bob” Floyd, played by Lewis Pullman, and his quirky performance leads to plenty of laughs. Noted actor Jon Hamm brings a hard-edged seniority to the film as Rear Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson, a former TOP GUN ace who doesn’t like Maverick’s rule-breaking and he makes for a great foil for Cruise. While Charles Parnell has Maverick’s back as Rear Admiral Solomon “Warlock” Bates.

It wouldn’t be Top Gun without a good dash of romance, and this time around Maverick rekindles the spark with one-time flame, and the ‘Admiral’s Daughter’, Penny Benjamin, who is played by the delightful Jennifer Connolly. And she’s an absolute knockout in this one. Care-free, high-spirited and ready to take Maverick for a ride, Connolly’s Penny is the woman who’s there for this renegade pilot when he needs it and inspires him to take his command and his pilots to a whole new level. Cruise and Connolly have an effortless chemistry together and you feel the deep love that exists between Maverick and Penny, and it’s a romance that sparks one hell of a flame. Penny has a special significance for the film’s narrative and when the chips are down and Maverick’s back is against the wall, Penny’s there for him and is able to inspire him to be the best, just like he’s supposed to be.

And finally, in one of the film’s most heartfelt appearances, Val Kilmer returns to the big screen as former Top Gun champion, Maverick’s one-time rival turned friend and now Commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. And his appearance is sure to make you well up with emotion. Paralleling Kilmer’s own real-life illness, Iceman is now battling cancer and has lost the use of his voice, but not his belief in Maverick. Watching Kilmer and Cruise together on screen is an incredibly raw and heart-moving moment for the film, and Kilmer shows incredible bravery and complete control of his craft as he once again steps into the boots of one of his most quintessential characters. The scene that is shared between these two characters is a deeply moving moment and you have to witness it to truly experience the deep feelings that exist not only between Iceman and Maverick but Kilmer and Cruise themselves.

From beginning to end, Top Gun: Maverick is an utter thrill ride and gives audiences everything they could want out of a blockbuster. Matching the nostalgia of the original, with a new, rock n’roll energy for today, whether you’re a fan of the original, or are brand new to the world of Maverick, you’re going to be impressed. The film’s desire to be a true testament to the power of aviation is on full display on screen, and the action is pulse-pounding and awe-inspiring to witness. Through Cruise and Kosinski’s commitment to the cinematic experience, audiences are put front and centre into the action, and there’s no time for vertigo as Cruise takes audiences to the edge of the stratosphere at supersonic speeds. This twisting, contorting aerial action is a blast to witness up on the big screen, and Top Gun: Maverick is a film that was meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It firmly is cinema at its coolest and damn will you get a rush of adrenaline with this one.

Top Gun: Maverick is blockbuster cinema at its coolest and is a pure expression of what cinema is meant to be. Packed out with drama, action, romance and fun, there’s no better movie to get audiences back into cinemas together and enjoy the raw energy and sensation that only blockbuster cinema can deliver. It is Tom Cruise’s gift to audiences, the US Navy and the medium of the movies itself, and you’re sure to have an utter blast with this one. It’s just AWESOME!

Image: Paramount Pictures

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Watch the BRAND-NEW trailer below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Test pilot Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) has purposely dodged an advancement in rank after thirty years of service. One day Maverick is call to put in charge of a training a group of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission under the order of his fellow Naval Aviator friend and former rival Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer), who is now a high-ranking Four-Star Admiral and served as Commander of U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet. Among them is Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s late best friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards). Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.

Taking audiences straight into the action and opening up the narrative of Top Gun: Maverick, this new trailer finds Maverick, under the orders of his former rival turned friend, and now commanding officer Iceman (Val Kilmer), to instruct a new generation of hotshot young aviators in the ways of aerial combat. These recruits including the brooding but capable Rooster (Miles Teller), whipsmart and talented Phoenix (Monica Barbaro) and the arrogant and antagonistic Hangman (Glen Powell). But Rooster is also harbouring a deep and personal secret, he’s the son of Maverick’s former RIO and best friend Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshow, whose death Maverick still feels responsible for, and this ain’t gonna be a very friendly reunion.

With its high-stakes narrative, pulse-pounding action and stunning aerial photography that captures the pure essence of the F/A-18 Super Hornet and Cruise and a talented cadre of Navy fighter pilots pushes these vehicles to their absolute limits in some utterly incredible footage that will have audiences wide-eyes in amazement and this is a film that needs to be seen on the IMAX screen to experience the edge, intensity and utter marvel of its storytelling. As one of my five most anticipated releases of 2022, I’ve been waiting with bated breath for the arrival of the all-new trailer for Top Gun: Maverick and with this adrenaline-charging footage, it did not disappoint!

Top Gun: Maverick is a blockbuster that is going to take your adrenaline levels right to the limit and this is blockbuster entertainment that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible! Get ready to fly straight back into the danger zone on May 26.

Images: Paramount Pictures

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While we’re aware that Tom Cruise will once again return to the role of naval aviator Capt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, new details have now arisen regarding Jennifer Connelly’s casting.

Connelly is now confirmed to be portraying the character of Penny Benjamin, a single mother, local bar owner, and daughter of a former US Navy Admiral, who is to be Maverick’s love interest in the film, and whose character share’s a past with the roguish pilot.

Back in 1986’s Top Gun, the character of Penny Benjamin, ‘the Admiral’s daughter’, was first mentioned by Commander Tom “Stinger” Jardian (James Tolkan) when he was grilling Maverick and his RIO Goose (Anthony Edwards) after they had disobeyed orders to bring back in fellow pilot Cougar (John Stockwell). This scene is a classic part of the film, as not only did it showcase Maverick’s habit of breaking the rules, and his history as a womanizer, but the performance of the legendary Tolkan as Stinger gives it terrific energy, rhythm and comedy.

And now in Top Gun: Maverick we’ll get to see both Maverick and Penny rekindle that one time fling, as Maverick returns to TOPGUN to instruct a new generation in the art of aerial combat.

Alongside the details regarding Connelly’s Penny Benjamin, we can also now confirm the identity of Jon Hamm’s character. Hamm will be portraying a Navy Vice Admiral and a former fighter pilot with the callsign of Cyclone, who is Maverick’s superior officer in the film. Hamm’s Cyclone also has a very no-nonsense approach to Maverick’s rule-breaking and the two of them will surely clash during the events of the film.

Top Gun: Maverick is far and away one of 2021’s biggest blockbusters and audiences will be in for a real treat with this one. Not only will they get a high-adrenaline thrill ride thanks to the appearance of fifth-generation fighter jets such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, but to see Tom Cruise back in action as Maverick is going to be all kinds of cool.

Top Gun: Maverick will arrive in cinemas on July 1.

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Watch the new featurette below:

Taking audiences inside the cockpit, this new featurette focuses in on the up close and personal style of filmmaking that director Joseph Kosinki and star Tom Cruise are bringing to 2020’s biggest action film, and it’s going to be wild.

Audiences will literally be inside the cockpit of a state-of-the-art F/A-18 Super Hornet with Cruise and the rest of the cast and the team behind Top Gun: Maverick have truly captured some of the most breathtaking aerial footage ever committed to celluloid. This film is truly a testament to the power of aviation and they’ll be plenty of moments to throw you back in your seat.

Here’s the official synopsis:

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”

Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.

Get ready to feel the need for speed when Top Gun: Maverick arrives in cinemas next year on June 25, 2020.

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Watch the new trailer below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”

Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.

Building off of its first teaser trailer, this new trailer really opens up the scale of Top Gun: Maverick and focuses in on the passing of the torch of the famed Naval Fighter Weapons School as the elusive and enigmatic Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Cruise), instructs a whole new generation of Naval aviators in the dying art of aerial dog fighting including that of Lieutenant Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his late RIO officer and best friend Lieutenant Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), who has a serious of a chip on his shoulder.

Director Joseph Kosinki, builds out the epic nature of the film in this new trailer and fans are treated to some absolutely incredible aerial footage that puts you right up into the heart of the action of this new generation of fighter jets, which sees Maverick behind the controls of a F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Your adrenaline will be pushed to the limit here and there’s plenty to get excited about with all of its high speed and the thumping score of the legendary composers Harold Faltermeyer and Hans Zimmer.

Brace yourselves for the rush of Top Gun: Maverick when it arrives in cinemas next year on June 25, 2020.

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Watch the EPIC new trailer below:

Here’s the full synopsis:

Top Gun: Maverick takes place 34 years after the events of the original film and pits legendary Captain Peter “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) as the new flight instructor of Top Gun, in which he guides Bradley (Miles Teller), Goose’s son, who seeks to become an aviator much as his father was.

Packed to the brim with incredible images, and powerhouse jet fighter action, Top Gun: Maverick is shaping up to be the action epic of 2020 and fans will be psyched for the return of one of cinema’s coolest characters.

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise is once again bringing his A Game here and Cruise is ready to really kick it into high gear with this full-on action ride that charts the journey of a whole new generation of fighter pilots as they race to leave their mark on the world.

Director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion) really floors it with the machismo here, and after watching this trailer you’ll absolutely be wanting to don a pair of aviators and a leather jacket, along with getting behind the throttle of a Kawasaki Ninja GPz900R, which also makes a return to the big screen here in Top Gun: Maverick.

Along with the hard-charging action of the F/A-18F Super Hornet that really bring the high speed here, Top Gun: Maverick will also focus on the relationship between Maverick and Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s late partner and best friend Goose (Anthony Edwards) who arrives at Top Gun as a trainee pilot.

Packed out with drama, action and incredible speed and swagger, Top Gun: Maverick is one movie that you’ll absolutely be pumped for when it arrives in cinemas on June 25, 2020.

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