Do you feel the need, the need for speed? If you do, then it sounds like you might need to take a cinematic trip down to Miramar, California and check out the Top Gun class of 1986 duke it out to see who the best is. The late Tony Scott's Top Gun has become an absolutely iconic piece of 1980s action cinema in the years since it first debuted, and later this month, fans will get to experience the Danger Zone in virtual reality.
The event will begin on December 29 at 6 p.m. ET through Bigscreen virtual reality software and then occur at regular intervals through the next day. Users of the home entertainment system will be able to enter a virtual lobby and socialize with others online before entering a virtual theater that will screen the movie in 3D. This broadcast obviously requires a VR setup in order to work, so if a VR headset isn't currently on your Christmas (or whatever holiday that you personally celebrate) wish list, then you might want to add it in at the last minute so you can tear up while watching Goose die in the jet wash.
In addition to this announcement of a virtual reality release of Top Gun, Paramount has also released a trailer to promote the upcoming event and show off some of its features. Check it out below.
As far as classic movies go, a film like Top Gun feels like a near-perfect choice to dust off and give the virtual reality treatment. The film's aerial photography continues to hold up to this very day, and most of the action sequences shot by Tony Scott for the 1986 film still maintain much of their visceral appeal. That said, adding modern technology to the equation can only help make them even better as VR companies continue to show what this burgeoning format can do in a virtual theater setting.
This virtual reality broadcast of Top Gun will also go a long way towards priming audiences for the next foray into the world of Tom Cruise's Pete Mitchell. Top Gun: Maverick is slated to debut in theaters on July 2019, and the film is expected to be a loose sequel that shares a considerable amount of DNA with the original -- such as the presence of Goose's son.
Top Gun will screen in 3D virtual reality on December 29 at 6 p.m. ET in Bigscreen's VR software. As for the future of the Top Gun brand, Top Gun: Maverick is currently gearing up for a more traditional theatrical release on July 12, 2019.
