Advertisement
The new “Top Gun: Maverick” trailer features the F-14 Tomcat, the supersonic fighter jet that shared as much screen space as Tom Cruise in the original 1986 film, “Top Gun“. The United States Navy, incidentally, discontinued the Tomcats in September 2006.
The logic forwarded for bringing back the retired fighter jet in the sequel is simple: The F-14 Tomcat played an important part in the 1986 original movie. Since Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell hasn’t retired in the sequel, the jets have to be around, too. The F-14 Tomcat was essential to be around in the new film, to render authenticity and heighten the action drama, reports screenrant.com.
In “Top Gun“, Cruise as Maverick was seen flying the F-14 Tomcat, which became an iconic plane shortly after the release of the 1986 film. The aircraft, introduced in 1970, received an upgrade the next year, in 1987.
Advertisement
However, owing to cost factors, the F-14 Tomcats were discontinued in September 2006.
Now, 33 years after the first film, the Tomcat will once again be seen on the Hollywood screen. Whether the jet appears in a flashback sequence or whether Cruise as Maverick actually flies one remains to be seen.