In a recent interview, Val Kilmer, who will be reprising the role of Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, opened up about his feelings after returning to the sets of Top Gun: Maverick. The upcoming sequel has been in the making for three decades now and will hit theatres in a week.
Apart from Kilmer’s Iceman, Tom Cruise will be seen playing the iconic Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell. The film will focus on the present rather than the past and will not feature too many Top Gun characters.
In the film, Cruise’s Maverick, because of his piloting skills, will be tasked with training a special group of recruits preparing for a special mission. Apparently, it was Kilmer’s Iceman who backed him into being hired.
In an interview with ET Canada, Kilmer said that returning to the sets of Top Gun: Maverick was like “reuniting with an old friend”. He added that the characters never really go away and remain in the “deep freeze”.
Although Kilmer did not share any additional details about the plot or script, he elaborated on his previous experience of working in Top Gun.
My main joy was the camaraderie of the cast, [producers] Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, along with the incredible, unflappable enthusiasm of Tony Scott and Tom Cruise. My crew was Rick Rossovich [who played “Slider”], the funniest strong man in show business back then, and Barry Tubb [“Wolfman”]… Oh, we all laughed till we fell down the hot, spiked crabgrass at the Holiday Inn in San Diego.
Val Kilmer
Reportedly, many critics who have watched the film in special screenings are of the opinion that Top Gun: Maverick may even be better than the original Top Gun. The nostalgia factor is there, but the emotional depth of the film has also been consistently praised.
Kilmer has also confirmed that he will be sharing the screen with Maverick for an emotional scene in the film. Theories also suggest that this might be the death scene of Kazansky and this may be their final goodbye.
Top Gun: Maverick is set to hit theatres on May 27, 2022.
About Top Gun
Top Gun is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. It was inspired by an article titled “Top Guns” published in California magazine three years earlier.
Cast members included Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan, John Stockwell, Tim Robbins and Tom Skerritt among many others. A sequel titled Top Gun: Maverick is set to be released on July 2, 2021.
The movie follows top pilot Maverick who, after losing his friend, is given a second chance to redeem himself. He struggles to be at his best and also gets romantically involved with his civilian instructor Charlie.
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