Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.
Movies

“Top Gun: Maverick” Blows The Doors of CinemaCon as Early Reactions Hail a Mach 4 Masterpiece

April 29, 2022
By The Credits

Paramount Pictures showed Top Gun: Maverick in its entirety at CinemaCon, and the results are a lot of very satisfied theater owners and their guests absolutely buzzing off the film’s heart-pounding action and surprisingly touching character work. Thus far the screening has generated rave reactions to what people are calling “the perfect blockbuster” and “terrific in every conceivable way.” Director Joseph Kosinski’s film is zooming over to Cannes mext, where it will get its official world premiere. Although Cruise wasn’t in attendance at CinemaCon, he did send a pre-recorded video in which he implored the audience to enjoy the film and “hey, let’s try to have a great summer!” Those in the theater were cheering at different sections, with Paramount executives feeling pretty good about the responses they were seeing.

Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.

Cruise returns as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell to the Navy, where a new group of Top Gun graduates is preparing for an epic mission. Maverick’s been brought in at the behest of Admiral Kazansky—you remember him as Iceman in the first Top Gun. Kilmer reprises his role in a small part, with Jon Hamm’s Cyclone not quite sure the Navy needs the notorious rules breaker Maverick back in the fold.

Maverick’s past is set to haunt him in this latest installment. One of the young Top Gun graduates Maverick is meant to instruct is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of the late Goose, who died in Maverick’s arms in the first film, an accident Maverick has never forgiven himself for. Also joining Cruise, Kilmer, Hamm, and Teller are Jennifer Connolly, Ed Harris, and Lewis Pullman.

The buzz for Top Gun: Maverick began even before the film played courtesy of the reveal that Lady Gaga wrote an original song for the film, titled “Hold My Hand,” which will be released on May 3.

We know that Top Gun: Maverick was a labor of love, as director Joseph Kosinski told Empire Magazine he shot around 800 hours of footage, “as much footage as the three Lord of the Rings movies combined,” he said.

Top Gun: Maverick zooms into theaters on May 27. Now let’s get to some of the first reactions:

For more on Top Gun: Maverick, check out these stories:

Lady Gaga Will Sing Tom Cruise Into the Danger Zone With New “Top Gun: Maverick” Song

New “Top Gun: Maverick” Teaser Highlights Intense Aerial Action

New “Top Gun: Maverick” Trailer Sees Tom Cruise Back in the Danger Zone

Featured image: Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.

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The Credits

The Credits is an online magazine that tells the story behind the story to celebrate our large and diverse creative community. Focusing on profiles of below-the-line filmmakers, The Credits celebrates the often uncelebrated individuals who are indispensable to the films and TV shows we love.