Getting any movie made is an accomplishment. Having that movie become a success is a near-miracle. But having that movie endure for years or even decades past its release date? That’s what every filmmaker hopes for and few achieve. When producer Jerry Bruckheimer started putting together what would become Top Gun, he had no idea how big the film would be, nor how long-lasting its legacy would become. It was director Tony Scott’s second movie, and Tom Cruise was just on the cusp of superstardom coming off starring roles in Risky Business and Legend.

But here we are, 35 years after Top Gun first hit theaters, and we’re not just celebrating “Top Gun Day,” the film is actually being re-released exclusively in Dolby Cinemas starting May 13th for one week only. In conjunction with this new release and in celebration of Top Gun Day, I recently got the chance to speak with Bruckheimer about the enduring appeal of Top Gun and what it was like making the movie in the first place.

The legendary producer discussed Tony Scott’s bold vision for the film, and how they were all so worried about Scott’s haphazard motorcycle driving that they chained the motorcycle up when he refused to stop – only for Scott to retrieve some bolt cutters and keep driving anyway. He talked about how Top Gun got greenlit by the studio after a pitch meeting during which Scott froze up, and how even during Top Gun Bruckheimer could tell Cruise was going to be a great producer (even revealing that Cruise was involved in shaping the Top Gun script). He reflected on the iconic “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” sequence and the Maverick/Goose relationship, and we also discussed his reunion with Cruise and Scott on Days of Thunder just a few years after Top Gun was released. And last but not least, I asked Bruckheimer why he thinks Top Gun's popularity has endured all these years later.

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As a huge fan of Top Gun and the groundbreaking work that Scott displayed on that film, it was a thrill to be able to pick Bruckheimer’s brain about how it all came together. You can watch the full interview in the player above.

Top Gun will be playing in over 150 Dolby Cinemas at AMC across the country for an exclusive one-week engagement beginning May 13th. The film is also available now on Digital, 4K Ultra HD, and Blu-ray.