Will Johnson
The power of nostalgia lives on but is Paramount Picture’s continuation of the classic Top Gun a nostalgia bait cash grab or a legitimate attempt to put the very-Reagan-’80s military thriller of yesteryear into a modern perspective? Based on the talent involved, plus the pulse-pounding trailer that had a few “woahs” coming out of my mouth, I’m going to lean towards the latter. The new Top Gun looks not only fun but, perhaps, relevant.
Like any great action franchise with more behind it than just explosions and one-liners (like, for example, Lethal Weapon), the concept of aging and holding on to the past is ripe for dramatic storytelling. If this trailer is any indication, Maverick (Tom Cruise) is not only a living embodiment of an era long past but also has to confront the son of his lost comrade Goose. It is the past and future colliding; the excitement of meeting old friends one last time but the bittersweet notion of moving on from what was.
The official synopsis for the film:
“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.”
Top Gun: Maverick will be released in theaters (including IMAX and Dolby Cinema formats) on June 26th, 2020. Follow news and developments on the film’s official website, Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. #TopGun
Top Gun: Maverick
Directed By
Joseph Kosinski
Based on Characters Created By
Jim Cash & Jack Epps, Jr.
Written By
Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer & Christopher McQuarrie
Executive Produced By
Tommy Harper, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Dana Goldberg, & Don Granger
Produced By
Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, & David Ellison
Cast
Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, and Greg Tarzan Davis with Ed Harris
*CREDITS ARE NOT FINAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
