Val Kilmer Reportedly Returning As Iceman Alongside Tom Cruise In ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Val Kilmer is set to reprise one of his most famous roles. He's joining old pal Tom Cruise in upcoming action sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Getting The Gang Back Together
According to The Wrap, Kilmer is set to star in the hugely-anticipated movie, a direct follow-up to Tony Scott's 1986 blockbuster. The premise sees Cruise's legendary aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell serving as a mentor to a whole new generation of pilots.
Although Paramount refused to confirm or deny the story, witnesses saw Kilmer at the hotel currently being used for production, which started last week, so his involvement is evident.
Cruise tweeted on May 31 that production was underway. The Mission Impossible star also shared the first shot from the highly-anticipated sequel. The teaser image showed the action superstar clad in his Navy best, with the signature aviator shades, holding his helmet, and gazing across the tarmac at his plane of choice.
Kilmer played aviator Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, the bitter rival of Cruise's flyboy, in Top Gun, which launched him into superstardom more than 30 years ago.
The two begin the film as adversaries, both vying for ace pilot status. Iceman tells Maverick early on that he doesn't like him because he's dangerous, but the two end the film as each other's wingman.
A Modern Top Gun For A Modern Age
The sequel already has a release date of July 12, 2019. Only The Brave helmer Joseph Kosinski is directing. Eric Warren Singer, Peter Craig, and Justin Marks penned the script and Scott who was supposed to direct sadly passed away in 2012.
Kosinski revealed recently that the sequel would focus on how Navy culture has changed in the past thirty years. He still hopes to recreate some of the original movie's magic, however.
"The Navy is very different now than it was in 1986 ... The tone of [Top Gun] and what those guys were doing was very different. Now, the Navy's been at war for 20 years. ... That being said, I certainly want to recreate the experience of that movie, which gives you a front-seat into the world of Naval aviation and what it's like to be in a fighter jet," he advised.
Top Gun followed the exploits of a flight academy and its students. It became infamous for the supposed homoerotic subtext between its two leads, and spawned a hit song with Berlin's "Take My Breath Away." Anthony Edwards and Kelly McGillis starred alongside Cruise and Kilmer.
The one-time Batman, who revealed last December that he'd been battling throat cancer for the last two years, posted on Facebook that he'd been offered a chance at a Top Gun sequel. Kilmer said he'd accepted without even reading anything.
He also wrote on Instagram that he was ready to go whenever Cruise was because he still had the moves. However, he quickly backtracked when fans started to get excited about his inclusion in the movie.
"This is a long way off so calm down. This has been talked about for a long long time and being offered a role is very different from doing a role. ... I jumped the topgun... It was just such a wonderful phone call with my agent..." he reasoned.
Jerry Bruckheimer is producing Top Gun: Maverick alongside Cruise himself.
