It’s been 33 years since Top Gun came out, and in that time moviemaking technology has improved significantly. Naturally that’s to the advantage of the upcoming sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, but according to Jon Hamm, who’s part of the extensive cast, Maverick is making use of some technology that’s noteworthy even by today’s standards, as it’s never been seen before. As Hamm put it:
They’re using some technology on this that is never before seen. We’re shooting the movie in, I think, 6K. So it’s incredibly hi-def. The aerial footage is mind-blowing. And it’s mostly practical. There’s not a lot of CG. Those guys are really up in planes and getting thrown around in multiple Gs.
You hear that, 4K? You’re yesterday’s news! In all seriousness, Top Gun: Maverick filming in 6K means the movie will be rocking the crispest visuals possible. Maverick also gets props for emphasizing practical effects over CGI, and while you won’t see Tom Cruise in the cockpit of a F/A-18 Hornet because he’s a civilian, the actor does get to fly “certain aircrafts” during the movie, as well as impressively ride a motorcycle.
While Jon Hamm wasn’t willing to disclose any details about his role in Top Gun: Maverick while speaking with Collider, he also talked about what it’s been like working on the sequel and how it will compare to the original Top Gun. Hamm explained:
It’s a very strange experience but it’s been a wonderful experience as well. It’s basically getting the whole team back together. Unfortunately, [original director] Tony Scott is unavailable, but they’ve achieved a very similar vibe to the first one. I think it’s gonna be, for the people who love the first movie I think it’s gonna’ be very interesting to watch. It very much takes the story in a different direction. But I think for the new fans it’s gonna be something very cool, too. I’ve seen some of the footage, it is out of this world.
Top Gun: Maverick certainly isn’t the first sequel in recent years to arrive decades after its predecessor, with other examples including Independence Day: Resurgence and Blade Runner 2049. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how Maverick both resembles the original Top Gun and stands out from it, but on the technological side of things, it definitely has a lot going for it.
Thus far only three characters in Top Gun: Maverick have been officially identified so far. Along with Tom Cruise obviously reprising Peter “Maverick” Mitchell, Val Kilmer is also back as Thomas “Iceman” Kazansky. Miles Teller is playing Bradley Bradshaw, son of the late Nick “Goose” Bradshaw and one of the new pilot trainees, and Teller’s been struggling to keep up with Cruise’s work pace.
While Jennifer Connelly’s character hasn’t been named yet, the actress is reportedly playing a single mother who runs a bar near the movie’s Navy base. Connelly and Jon Hamm’s other cast-mates include Glen Powell (who originally auditioned to play Goose’s son), Ed Harris, Manny Jacinto, Monica Babar, Charles Parnell and Jay Ellis, among many others.
Top Gun: Maverick is now flying into theaters on June 26, 2020 (it was originally supposed to come out last weekend), so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. In the meantime, check out what movies are arriving later this year in our 2019 release schedule.
