studio, a lot to audiences. At a certain point when you make a movie, it’s not mine, it’s everyone’s. The cast just rose to the occasion. I sat down with them each and said, ‘Look, this is what we’re going to do.’ And then I showed them what we were going to do [laughs]. I remember that day, I did an early test to show them aerial stuff and I would have them sit in the meetings with me because I wanted them to see every step of it, the briefings, story, we had to work with them to set them up to win. I wanted to see them really win and when they’re in the F-18 feel confident and comfortable and that they are their characters. So we had to go through and they had to understand about editing and lighting. We also had to work with the other fighter pilots that were flying the aircraft to teach them about film, lighting, cinematography. But I had them there to a point where, by the time it’s their turn to be in the F-18, they were running the show. I just sat back and they would run the briefing. They were in control. They knew their characters, they knew the story and that’s what I want. It’s like you get people to that stage and let them go. I want to know their ideas, I want them in control of their own performance and destiny. And they were amazing – each one of them.
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So Tom, there’s been talk of a Top Gun sequel for years – why is now the time? It was really now or never. It was a moment. We’d been looking at how to tell this story and I’d been trying to figure it out and thinking about it. I was always thinking of the technology, how it would evolve to be able to give the audience that kind of experience. And everywhere around the world they wanted to see this movie. It was now or never. And finally, the story came together and technically the things that I felt we could get to an audience, a global audience, was something that I thought, ‘OK, well, if we’re going to go in, we’re going to go in now.’
Aside from the incredible technical stuff, this film is also an emotional rollercoaster? Well, if you remember the first one… it’s very interesting. I sat everyone down and we went through the whole movie together. You’ve got to understand, everyone thinks what Top Gun is and of course it’s this great summer experience and what it became to audiences and through the generations is something I couldn’t even imagine at the time we were making. I knew it was special but it transcends generations. It is a drama at its heart and it has that kind of storytelling that I cut my teeth on, that I love seeing, with those kind of characters, all of these great characters.
You put your actors through training like no other, we know you demand authenticity. Talk to us about what you wanted to bring to the aerial fighting scenes that we’d never seen before? Well, it’s just really the characters. Because motion, it’s not just action or stunts, it’s character and it’s story – that is king. Story is king. On the first Top Gun one of the things that I had and was in my contract that I had to fly in the F-14 and be filmed in the F-14, that was a stipulation. I always wanted to make movies and be an aviator. And as we went through it I made Fallout and it was always in the back of my mind, even before Fallout, I was in American Made going technically, ‘How is that story and what can I do, where is that technology and how can we tell this kind of story?’ So it was always there – Top Gun. It was daunting. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh yeah, let’s go and do it.’ The movie means a lot to me, a lot to my career, a lot to the
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It must have felt strange for you to step back into that character after so many years. Was there an emotional moment that stands out to you – putting the leather jacket on, getting on the motorcyle etc? There are so many. Just Jerry and I sitting down together watching the [first] film together for the first time. We hadn’t seen it in decades. There were many emotional moments. Sitting down with the actors, figuring out the character and talking about it. The actors are looking at me going, ‘What’s it like for you to come back?’ and I’m looking at them and looking at this – it was emotional. It’s not easy to try to figure out for an audience and deliver. Because I want to deliver for them. I love entertaining an audience and I love learning and pushing all of my skills as a storyteller and an actor. Also, the beauty of making a movie is it’s not me – it’s us together. It’s the accumulation of talent. And knowing how to discover and bring that talent together and everyone shines. That’s the dream. And then an audience will go and appreciate it. And the kind of reaction that we’ve gotten, I just want people to be happy and I want them to feel like, ‘Yes!’
The reaction from those who have seen it so far has been incredible – how does that feel? First of all, it’s just a relief. Because making it was daunting, for 36 years and people wanting to see this film. When people are saying that, I’m just so happy for them. I made it for audiences, for everyone to just go and have a great time at the cinema.
As you said, it’s been 36 years since the first one – how has your character changed over that time? When people see the film, finding that level, that character, he’s still Maverick. And it has to be something where we just kept going back in terms of tone and structure and character and where is he? He still has to have that spirit of Maverick. But also, at the end of the first one, where he learned to be the wingman, he learned to be a better team player, but he’s still that guy who has to push it a little bit. He just can’t help it. But with any movie, you need a character journey. There has to be problems. So there’s wonderful problems and life dramas that translate with time. And the first story really leant itself to this story and the timing of this story.
You have talked about your wonderful cast – do you see yourself in any of the younger actors?
CE L EBRIT Y INTERVI EW TOM CRUI S E
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