‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and 17 More Sequels/Reboots That Revived Film Franchises

Entertainment Weekly reported. Director Joseph Kosinki — who helmed the blockbuster, record-setting sequel — said the choice to go with the original version was to assure the audience that they were in good hands. “I wanted that first few minutes to just tell you, this is a ‘Top Gun’ movie, we love it as much you do,” Kosinki, 48, said in a previous interview.

Zack Sharf SPOILER ALERT: Do not read unless you have watched “Top Gun: Maverick,” in theaters now. “Top Gun” fans knew ahead of time that Val Kilmer would be reprising his role of Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the sequel, but the specifics of the actor’s return were a question mark considering Kilmer lost the ability to speak after undergoing throat cancer treatment in 2014.

Cruise reprise his role as Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell alongside Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm, as he coaches a cohort of young fighter pilots before they carry out a dangerous mission. Arriving almost 40 years after Tony Scott’s 1986 smash hit original, Top Gun: Maverick is obviously loaded with nostalgia and direct references to the previous film. One such reference is the brief but crucial appearance of Val Kilmer’s Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, Mav’s rival turned wingman from the original movie.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorThe original “Top Gun” is a study in Hollywood moviemaking of a certain era — an era captured in the pages of Variety as the movie was birthed starting in mid-1983 until its triumphant release by Paramount Pictures three years later.The movie came together during the period when Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were at the peak of their powers as red-hot producers of culture-shaking films such as 1983’s “Flashdance” and 1984’s “Beverly Hills Cop.” The film that the pair crafted with numerous screenwriters (more on that in the clips), director Tony Scott and veteran producer Bill Badalato launched Tom Cruise to a new level of stardom and created a legacy sturdy enough for Cruise, Bruckheimer and Paramount to leap back to the top of the box office nearly 40 years later with the long-delayed, made-for-movie-screens sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.”As demonstrated by the steady pace of news about “Top Gun,” Simpson and Bruckheimer had a ton of clout with Paramount and the industry at the time. They even were able to control the rights to the soundtrack for the film — something they learned from the success of “Flashdance” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” Simpson-Bruckheimer Prods.

estimated $124 million in ticket sales, Paramount Pictures said Sunday. Including international showings, its worldwide total is $248 million.It’s a supersonic start for a film that still has the wide-open skies of Memorial Day itself to rake in even more cash. According to projections and estimates, by Monday’s close, “Top Gun: Maverick” will likely have over $150 million.“These results are ridiculously, over-the-top fantastic,” said Chris Aronson, Paramount’s president of domestic distribution.

Forget breaking the sound barrier: Tom Cruise just flew past a major career milestone.

"Top Gun" star Tom Skerritt is sharing his thoughts on the movie's sequel and reflecting on the original 1986 film.  Skerritt, who starred as Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf in the original, opened up about what made "Top Gun" iconic during a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "The music had a lot to do with it by the way," he said. "But the screenplay itself, which I've always honored as being the whole reason for a good show, and you just write the work … and do the job you have good material for the rest of us to work with.

J. Kim Murphy At long last, Tom Cruise is entering the $100 million opening club.Playing in 4,735 locations, the widest theatrical release in domestic box office history, “Top Gun: Maverick” is projected to earn $150 million over the holiday weekend. On a three-day scale, Paramount is predicting a $123 million haul.

Feeling the need for speed! Ever since its debut almost four decades prior, Top Gun has been considered an American classic — and it’s finally getting a sequel.

“Top Gun: Maverick” is finally out, fulfilling a long-promised dream from Tom Cruise who was determined to reprise the character that catapulted him to superstardom. The late Tony Scott sadly is not in the director’s chair this time around, but Cruise is working with some familiar faces – his “Oblivion” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski directs, while his “Mission: Impossible” and “Jack Reacher” cohort Christopher McQuarrie is co-writer and producer.The sequel is racking up some incredibly positive reviews and is on track for a massive box office weekend, but what exactly are the viewing options? Here’s how to watch “Top Gun: Maverick”“Top Gun: Maverick” was released exclusively in theaters – including Imax theaters – on May 27.

Tom Cruise and the creative team behind, there were many factors to consider when it came to developing the long-awaited sequel to the beloved 1986 action flick. From a storyline that brought Cruise's character, Pete «Maverick» Mitchell, back on board with a cast of talented young recruits, to the logistics of filming in real-life fighter jets, the producers and stars pulled out all the stops to create a jaw-dropping follow-up to the high-flying original.Of course, that also meant answering some questions about Maverick's closest relationships from the original film.

Top Gun: Maverick (★★★☆☆).The folks in the high-flying sequel might as well be throwing their barbs at Maverick star Tom Cruise, who proved himself a box office draw 36 years ago with the phenomenal success of Top Gun, the film that cemented his brash onscreen persona.The courageous, grinning, gunning Little Engine that will always out-hustle his competition no longer radiates that same insatiable hunger. But Cruise — and Maverick — still move like men with something left to prove.Introduced living in an old Navy air hangar somewhere in the Mojave, Pete Mitchell is still a maverick after all these years, still forgoing a helmet while speeding around on his motorcycle, still ranked captain despite decades in service, and still risking his life for Navy and country as a test pilot for a Mach 9 program.

Jon Hamm and his Top Gun co-star Miles Teller may be big names in Hollywood, but even they get a little tongue-tied when they meet members of the royal family.MORE: Prince William reveals George, Charlotte and Louis's reaction to their parents' glitzy Top Gun outingLast week, the actors were introduced to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in London - an encounter that neither stars will forget in a hurry.WATCH: Tom Cruise talks about bond with Prince WilliamAppearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the 51-year-old Mad Men star revealed: "It was black-tie, so we're all in tuxedos. And Prince William had on his tuxedo shoes, embroidered F-18s."MORE: Jennifer Connelly opens up about 'special' moment with Prince William at Top Gun premiereREAD: Inside Kate Middleton's inner circle of close friendsHe added: "Very cool Top Gun tuxedo shoes… that means you made it.

“Top Gun: Maverick” is not your father’s “Top Gun.”The new movie, released a whopping 36 years after the original film, takes Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and puts him in an unexpected scenario – training Top Gun graduates for a clandestine mission. And, unlike the original film, some of those graduates are women! The most prominent female recruit is Lieutenant Natasha “Phoenix” Trace, played wonderfully by Monica Barbaro. Phoenix is tough and flinty; she’s been around the rest of these bozos for a while, and knows Rooster (Miles Teller), a young recruit with ties to Maverick’s past, quite well.

Val Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, is reflecting on her experience witnessing her father lay down scenes on the set of "Top Gun: Maverick." The 30-year-old actress recalled being present when Kilmer, 62, made his anticipated cameo in the upcoming Tom Cruise flick as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, the arch-nemesis of Cruise’s Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. According to the New York Post, both stars appear together in a scene, reuniting the pair in which Iceman and Maverick Mitchell come face-to-face and each deliver heartwarming performances that marked a culmination for the film franchise.

Tom Cruise has revealed that he doesn’t take days off because his career means he’s constantly “living the dream”.The actor is currently promoting his latest film, Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 action classic, in which he reprises his role as fighter pilot Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He is also a producer on the blockbuster.Speaking in a new interview, Cruise said his active career means he doesn’t take any time off, but he doesn’t mind being as busy as he is because he’s “living the dream” when he’s working.“This is a day off for me, because I am not shooting,” Cruise told Bella magazine (via Contact Music), after being asked what he likes to do when he has a day off.

Tom Cruise has revealed that before he became famous he wanted to be either a pilot or an actor.The Hollywood star is currently promoting his latest film, Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 action classic, in which he reprises his role as fighter pilot Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He is also a producer on the blockbuster.Speaking in a new interview, Cruise said he had always dreamt of being a pilot or an actor growing up, and when he was able to combine both careers in the original Top Gun, it was a “life-changing” moment for him.“All I ever wanted to be was a pilot or an actor, so Top Gun was a huge moment in so many respects, including my passion for aviation,” he told HELLO! magazine (via Contact Music). “It was life-changing for me.”He continued: “I got to actually fly in an F-14 jet which was a dream come true, and play a character I loved in Maverick.”Cruise then went on to explain that for Top Gun: Maverick he got to do more plane stunts than ever before.“The P-51 Mustang you see in the movie is actually my plane, so I got to pilot in those sequences, he said. “I also got to be in the jet fighter a lot more this time, which was thrilling. It was something I had been working up to.”Meanwhile, Twenty One Pilots singer Tyler Joseph has claimed that he was asked to write a song for the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack before Tom Cruise rescinded the offer.“I was working with the music placement person for the new Top Gun on writing a new song for them and then I believe Tom Cruise just came in and just fired everyone,” Joseph told Californian radio station KROQ [via MusicNews].

Tom Cruise set out to make the follow-up film to his beloved 1986 hit,  he knew the success of the story would hinge on not only the storyline and motivations of his character, Pete «Maverick» Mitchell, but in the squadron of young, up-and-coming Navy pilots Maverick is tasked with leading through their near-impossible mission.«We had to find not only the actors that are correct for the roles, or just a great cast, which we have in there — each one of them are extraordinary, charismatic, each one very distinct,» Cruise said in an exclusive ET featurette from the set of the film. «We also, prior to [filming], I had to go look.

Tom Cruise as Pete «Maverick» Mitchell and features a special return from Val Kilmer as now-Admiral Tom «Iceman» Kazansky -- doesn't feature any appearances from the female stars of the 1986 original: Kelly McGillis and Meg Ryan.Ryan's character, Carole, the wife of Maverick's late wingman and best friend Nick «Goose» Bradshaw (played by Anthony Edwards) and mother to Miles Teller's Bradley «Rooster» Bradshaw, is referenced in the sequel and seen in flashback scenes. However, there isn't even a mention of McGillis' Charlie Blackwood, a Top Gun instructor and Maverick's love interested in the original.«Those weren't stories that we were throwing around,» Maverick director Joseph Kosinski told Insider of the actresses' absences.