Top Gun: Maverick Will Ride Into The Danger Zone At Cannes
The highly-anticipated sequel to one of the most treasured action films of the 1980s is finally taking flight, with "Top Gun: Maverick" set to play at the Cannes Film Festival. The film from Paramount and Skydance starring Tom Cruise will play the celebrated festival on the French Riviera sometime during the May 17 – 28, 2022 dates. "Top Gun: Maverick" will roll out internationally the same week, and is due out in North American theaters on May 27, 2022, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
Tom Cruise returns for "Top Gun: Maverick" as hot-shot fighter pilot Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. After three decades of service as one of the premier aviators for the U.S. Navy, Maverick has skillfully dodged the rank advancements that would take him out of the air, maintaining his ability to feel the need for speed years after his prime. When he's tasked with training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission never before successfully accomplished by a living pilot, Maverick comes face to face with Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller) with the call sign "Rooster," who turns out to be the son of Maverick's deceased friend, the Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka "Goose."
The film is directed by "Tron: Legacy" and "Oblivion" filmmaker Joseph Kosinski, with a script from Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Cruise's go-to guy, Christopher McQuarrie.
Cruise at Cannes for the first time in 30 years
The Cannes Film Festival is frequently used as a launchpad for Memorial Day blockbusters with the films playing out of competition, but a film starring Tom Cruise hasn't screened at the fest since Ron Howard's "Far and Away" in 1992. While it's not been confirmed that Cruise will be in attendance for the screening, the man lives to promote his films and even caused the film's release delay because he wanted to "embark on a world tour" in advance of the film's opening.
CinemaCon attendees were privy to the first 13-minutes of "Top Gun: Maverick," with the early buzz from journalists looking overwhelmingly favorable. No word yet on whether or not we're going to get aggressive chomping or buff volleyball games, but don't worry, Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" is still embedded in the film's DNA. Joining Cruise and Teller in the cast are Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Monica Barbaro, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer, returning as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky.
The original "Top Gun" was directed by the late, great Tony Scott and helped launch Cruise into Hollywood superstardom.
"Top Gun: Maverick" will hit theaters on May 27, 2022.