Tom Cruise lands a helicopter on an aircraft carrier for the ‘Top Gun’ sequel red carpet
Tom Cruise landed by helicopter on a US aircraft carrier during an epic red carpet arrival at the premiere of his new aviation blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.
The Hollywood star said it was a case of “now or never” as he discussed plans for the sequel, which comes 36 years after the release of the hit 1986 film.
Maverick is slated to hit theaters May 27 and will see Cruise play US Navy aviator Pete Mitchell.
Other stars include Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Monica Barbaro, Val Kilmer, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell.
After landing and boarding the aircraft carrier USS Midway in San Diego, California, the actor thanked fans and praised his colleagues.
“Right now right here to see everyone, no masks. It’s pretty epic,” he told Deadline at the event.
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The Hollywood star said it was a case of “now or never” as he discussed plans for the sequel 36 years after the release of his hit 1986 film (Jordan Strauss/AP).
“It was really now or never, it was a moment where we thought about how to tell this story … I thought about it and figured it out.
“I thought if we go in, we have to go in now.”
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He added, “Obviously (Top Gun) is this great summertime experience and what it has become for audiences and generations I could never have imagined at the time we were doing it.
“But at its core it’s a drama and it has that kind of storytelling that I’m gritting my teeth at that I like to see with these characters.
“The film means a lot to me, a lot to my career, a lot to the studio and a lot to the audience.”
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Crowds watch as Tom Cruise arrives in a helicopter for the world premiere of Top Gun: Maverick (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Cruise provided his cast with a rigorous training program in preparation for the film, including real-life jet aircraft flight lessons.
“This cast is amazing, they’re incredible, these guys…they’re a very talented group,” he said.
The actor has been praised by his co-stars as a “mentor and friend” who “makes sure everyone wins”.
“Tom Cruise doesn’t do anything half-heartedly,” Powell, who plays the Hangman in the film, told Deadline.
“We couldn’t do this without Tom in this film, who is our flight instructor, our mentor, our friend.
“Tom is Maverick in real life, he’s as cool as it gets.
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Other stars include Miles Teller (left) and Jennifer Connelly (center) (Jordan Strauss/AP)
“What is special about him is that it is important to him that everyone wins. You watch this movie and every single character in the movie wins, everyone looks cool.
“It’s never about him, it’s about the end product.”
Hamm, who plays Vice, credited Cruise’s “unparalleled work ethic.”
“He’s the first on set and the last to leave. He works every day and he works harder than everyone else,” he told Deadline.
“His enthusiasm for filmmaking, especially for a film like this with which he has such a rich history, is contagious.”
Maverick was originally scheduled for release in July 2019 but has been repeatedly delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tom-cruise-lands-helicopter-on-aircraft-carrier-for-top-gun-sequel-red-carpet-41616122.html Tom Cruise lands a helicopter on an aircraft carrier for the ‘Top Gun’ sequel red carpet