Television fans will probably recognize Jon Hamm as silver-tongued advertising executive Don Draper in AMC’s Mad Men, a role that earned him an impressive 12 Emmy nominations and one win for lead actor in a drama series. Since the show ended in 2015 he has appeared in a number of films, including the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick. As a member of the cast, he was actually able to see an early screening of the Top Gun sequel over the summer in a theater and detailed the new theater experience in a recent interview.
As the world and theater industry has been devastated by the pandemic, there have been strict guidelines set in place to keep movie-goers as safe as possible. During an advanced screening of Top Gun: Maverick, Jon Hamm had his own first-hand experience with the new safety protocols and shared his thoughts on the process and the film:
It's going to leave a lot of people with their minds blown I think. I got the good fortune to see it over the summertime. They opened a theater for us and we all had to sit 15 feet apart and wear masks and everything, but we got to see it on the big screen, which is the right way to see it. It's really visually stunning. And I think people are going to be moved by the story as well.
In his recent interview with KSDK, he noted that people can expect top notch visuals and a moving story. The St Louis native and Netflix star also mentioned that the Top Gun sequel is best seen on the big screen.
Top Gun: Maverick was originally scheduled to release in 2019 but saw its fair share of delays, and the 2021 release date was partly due to Covid-19 and lead Tom Cruise wanting everyone to remain safe and happy during the theatrical experience. (He would later see Christopher Nolan's Tenet in theaters.)
The sequel comes 35 years after the premier of the oscar-winning Top Gun, which also starred Tom Cruise. The film crushed the box office with $356 million on a $15 million budget and is considered by some to be one of the most iconic movies of the ‘80s. Top Gun even caused the flight school that inspired the film to enforce a $5 fine for anyone caught quoting the movie.
Tom Cruise will reprise his role as LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchel in Top Gun: Maverick. He’s joined by Jon Hamm, who plays Vice Admiral Cyclone and Miles Teller as Lieutenant Bradley "Rooster" Bradsha, an aspiring fighter pilot and the son of Maverick’s former co-pilot Goose. Val Kilmer is also set to return as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. The film, directed by Tron: Legacy’s Joseph Kosinski, will pick up thirty years after Top Gun and explore Maverick’s inability to be promoted as he confronts his past with the arrival of Miles Teller’s Bradley “Rooster” Bradsha.
Top Gun: Maverick is set to release on July 2nd, 2021, which will hopefully allow fans to safely return to theaters and enjoy the aerial acrobatics on the big screen. As Top Gun: Maverick was not the only film delayed to 2021, theater-goers can expect the year to be loaded with heavy-hitting blockbusters.
To see the full slate of upcoming 2021 films, check out CinemaBlend’s release date schedule and, if you’re feeling the need for speed, Top Gun is currently streaming on FuboTV and Showtime.
