Huge Top Gun 2 stories have flown onto our radar the past couple weeks, with reports that scribe Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) had been tapped for screenwriting duties and Tony Scott’s confirmation that he’ll be returning to the director’s chair both breaking. The initial belief was that McQuarrie had incorporated Tom Cruise’s Maverick character in a minor appearance and in hopes of avoiding the cameo from being deemed overtly “obvious”. Now McQuarrie has sent a polite revision of this rumor over to Vulture. His statement: "There is no Top Gun 2 in which Maverick is not the starring role." Assuming his screenplay is left unscathed and welcomed by all parties involved, it sounds like Tom Cruise is to be expected back in his on-screen pilot’s seat after all. Now we just need to get Iceman on board as his wingman.
Hit the jump for more on Top Gun 2.
Top Gun 2 will be developed by Jerry Bruckheimer with Paramount and its financing partner, Skydance Productions. Scott is circling a variety of projects, one of which he’ll complete before setting his sights on Top Gun 2. His next film, Unstoppable, hits theaters November 12th.
Scott has said this with regards to what he’d like to examine in the post-millennial Air Force:
“These computer geeks — these kids play war games in a trailer in Fallon, Nevada and if we ever went to war or were in the Middle East or the Far East or wherever it is, these guys can actually fly drones. They are unmanned aircraft. They operate them and then they party all night.”
It is unknown whether McQuarrie and Scott have been collaborating on drafts, but assuming this is the case and Top Gun 2 does in fact see the return of Maverick, where would he fit in a story about a fraternity of nerds who pilot aircraft in live combat like it’s a videogame? To me, it sounds vaguely reminiscent of a present-day Ender’s Game. Will we watch an obsolete Maverick struggle to get his bearings on his career as he plays babysitter? Leave your thoughts below.
