40 years of "Top Gun" These 5 facts about the cult movie with Tom Cruise you definitely don't know
"Feel the need for speed"? Tom Cruise became world-famous 40 years ago with "Top Gun" and has not lost his image as a "mad dog" to this day. blue News reveals five facts that you are guaranteed not to know about the cult film.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- "Top Gun" was the highest-grossing film of 1986 and grossed 356.8 million US dollars worldwide.
- The long-awaited sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" was released in 2022: Tom Cruise was back, this time as a flight instructor.
- "Top Gun" returns to the big screen for its 40th anniversary: relive the cult film and its sequels at blue Cinema.
- A third film is being planned, but the release date has not yet been set. Nor has it been decided whether Cruise will return to the elite flight school "Top Gun".
40 years ago, "Top Gun" premiered with Tom Cruise in the lead role as the daredevil fighter pilot Maverick. The film shaped an entire generation: sunglasses, leather jackets and the iconic soundtrack made the movie a symbol of 80s pop culture.
Director Tony Scott's film was not only a success at the box office, but also influenced fashion, music and even the image of the US Navy. To this day, critics describe the film as glorifying war or as a promotional film for the US Navy.
For Tom Cruise, "Top Gun" marked his final breakthrough in Hollywood. The then young actor became a superstar overnight and rose to the top league of the dream factory. But he almost never became Maverick: Here are five facts about "Top Gun" that you're guaranteed not to know.
Tom Cruise not first choice
"Top Gun" without Tom Cruise? It's hard to imagine. But the Hollywood star was not originally the first choice. John Travolta was initially intended for the role of "Maverick". However, after the studio was unable to reach an agreement with his agent, negotiations were broken off. Tom Cruise was the new top favorite.
But Tom Cruise also turned down the role at first. As did Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Matthew Broderick, Sean Penn, Michael J. Fox, Scott Baio and Tom Hanks. None of them were interested in the airplane blockbuster.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, however, was determined to get Tom Cruise on board for the film project. He had to persuade the then 22-year-old to take on the role and arranged a flight with an aerobatic pilot from the Blue Angels.
According to Bruckheimer, Cruise ran straight to a phone booth after landing to call the producer. His words: "I'm making the movie. I love it. I'm in it."
Springboard for Meg Ryan and Kelly McGillis
In the 1990s, Meg Ryan was one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. The US-American starred in classics such as "Harry and Sally", "Sleepless in Seattle" and "E-m@il for you", leaving her mark on generations. However, Meg Ryan made her breakthrough with her role in "Top Gun" as the wife of Maverick's best friend and fellow pilot Goose.
After an eight-year break, Hollywood star Meg Ryan returns to the big screen with the rom-com "What Happens Later".
Image: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/dpa
She made her breakthrough with "Top Gun". In the 90s, Meg Ryan starred in several cinema hits and made her mark on the rom-com genre. Here, for example, in "Sleepless in Seattle".
Image: imago/United Archives
Kelly McGillis also achieved worldwide fame with "Top Gun".
Image: Paramount
In the 90s, McGillis starred in moderately successful films and series. She then largely withdrew from the public eye.
Image: KEYSTONE
After an eight-year break, Hollywood star Meg Ryan returns to the big screen with the rom-com "What Happens Later".
Image: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/dpa
She made her breakthrough with "Top Gun". In the 90s, Meg Ryan starred in several cinema hits and made her mark on the rom-com genre. Here, for example, in "Sleepless in Seattle".
Image: imago/United Archives
Kelly McGillis also achieved worldwide fame with "Top Gun".
Image: Paramount
In the 90s, McGillis starred in moderately successful films and series. She then largely withdrew from the public eye.
Image: KEYSTONE
The role in "Top Gun" also paid off for Kelly McGillis. The actress became internationally known through the film and later starred in other moderately successful productions.
However, director Tony Scott had to fight to cast her. The studio bosses originally wanted to see a younger and more "fashionable" actress alongside Tom Cruise.
Adjustments to the script because of the US Navy
The original script for "Top Gun" had to be adapted in several places - partly at the request of the US Navy. The original plan was for the character Goose to die in a collision between two fighter jets. However, the Navy rejected this depiction. Instead, the scene was made more realistic: In the movie, Goose dies in a training accident.
The Navy also vetoed the role of Kelly McGillis. Tom Cruise's film partner was originally supposed to be a female officer. However, the Navy refused to approve a script in which two officers have a relationship. As the filmmakers were reliant on the Navy's support, her character was eventually rewritten as a civilian naval advisor who assesses the pilots' performance.
"Danger Zone"
The "Danger Zone" soundtrack was composed and written especially for the film. The 80s hit by Kenny Loggins reached second place in the US charts and was certified platinum and gold in several countries.
Before Kenny Loggins delivered the iconic title song of "Top Gun" with "Danger Zone", numerous other artists were in discussion. Among others, the then stars Toto, Bryan Adams, REO Speedwagon and Corey Hart were given the opportunity to record the song. However, they all turned it down.
In the case of Toto, a collaboration failed due to legal problems. Bryan Adams, on the other hand, was approached but decided against it because he felt the film glorified war.
Only then was Kenny Loggins chosen. Columbia Records also played a role: the label behind the soundtrack wanted an artist from its own company wherever possible.
Glossy advertising spot for the US military
The influence of the film was considerable. As a result, "Top Gun" not only became a worldwide box office success, but also an unexpectedly effective recruitment tool for the US Navy.
Recruitment stands were set up in front of numerous cinemas to attract visitors directly after the screenings. With success: according to reports, the US Navy's recruitment figures rose by up to 500 percent in the year following the film's release.
Critics still find the film glorifying war today.
Further sequels planned
The success of the film remains unbroken 40 years after its world premiere: Even if the plot is thin and predictable, "Top Gun" has become a cult film. The sequel "Top Gun: Maverick", which was released in cinemas in 2022, grossed 1.49 billion US dollars.
Fans can rejoice. The film studio Paramount Pictures confirmed at the CinemaCon trade fair in Las Vegas that a script for a third "Top Gun" film is currently being worked on. Hollywood star Tom Cruise is also set to climb back into the fighter jet for the third installment of the film series, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer is also set to return. No further details were initially announced.
You can watch both films again on the big screen. "Top Gun" and "Top Gun: Maverick" at blue Cinema.
