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1986, Action/Adventure, 1h 49m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aerial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren't in the air. Read critic reviews

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Top gun videos, top gun   photos.

The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School is where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying skills. When hotshot fighter pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) is sent to the school, his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman (Val Kilmer). But Maverick isn't only competing to be the top fighter pilot, he's also fighting for the attention of his beautiful flight instructor, Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly McGillis).

Genre: Action, Adventure

Original Language: English

Director: Tony Scott

Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer , Don Simpson

Writer: Jim Cash , Jack Epps Jr.

Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 1986  original

Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 13, 2021

Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013

Box Office (Gross USA): $179.8M

Runtime: 1h 49m

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Production Co: Paramount Pictures

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Surround, Dolby Atmos, DTS, Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Kelly McGillis

Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood

Anthony Edwards

Lt. Nick "Goose" Bradshaw

Lt. Tom "Iceman" Kazanski

Tom Skerritt

Cmdr. Mike "Viper" Metcalf

Michael Ironside

Lt. Cmdr. Rick "Jester" Heatherly

John Stockwell

Rick Rossovich

Lt. Ron "Slider" Kerner

Tim Robbins

Lt. Sam "Merlin" Wells

James Tolkan

Jack Epps Jr.

Bill Badalato

Executive Producer

Jerry Bruckheimer

Don Simpson

Harold Faltermeyer

Original Music

Giorgio Moroder

Jeffrey Kimball

Cinematographer

Chris Lebenzon

Film Editing

Billy Weber

Margery Simkin

John DeCuir Jr.

Production Design

Robert R. Benton

Set Decoration

News & Interviews for Top Gun

Is Top Gun: Maverick Best Picture-Worthy?

Top Gun: Maverick First Reviews: The Most Thrilling Blockbuster We’ve Gotten in Years

“Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong” About… Top Gun

Critic Reviews for Top Gun

Audience reviews for top gun.

Not terrible but I think you had to be there when the movie originally came out to be able to truly appreciate it.

"Top Gun" is an amazing 1980's drama/action film. "Top Gun" has amazing acting from "Tom Cruise" and "Kelly McGillis". The plot to "Top Gun" is great and has great plot points. The special effects in this movie are incredible for a 1980's film. There are no action sequences that look like the back of a green screen. The soundtrack to "Top Gun" is great, it makes every scene better and better. I will recommend you watch "Top Gun" as it is a awesome action/drama. So I give "Top Gun" a 8/10.

One can appreciate the film for being iconic, yet it is frustratingly bland and corny. Though Top Gun is full of action, nothing really happens, and the charming romance that inspires the classic hit "Take My Breath Away" becomes a vague, second-thought.

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Inside the Original ‘Top Gun’: How Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer Assembled the 1986 Tom Cruise Classic

By Cynthia Littleton

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The original “Top Gun” is a study in Hollywood moviemaking of a certain era — an era captured in the pages of Variety as the movie was birthed starting in mid-1983 until its triumphant release by Paramount Pictures three years later.

The movie came together during the period when Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were at the peak of their powers as red-hot producers of culture-shaking films such as 1983’s “Flashdance” and 1984’s “Beverly Hills Cop.” The film that the pair crafted with numerous screenwriters (more on that in the clips), director Tony Scott and veteran producer Bill Badalato launched Tom Cruise to a new level of stardom and created a legacy sturdy enough for Cruise, Bruckheimer and Paramount to leap back to the top of the box office nearly 40 years later with the long-delayed, made-for-movie-screens sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.”

As demonstrated by the steady pace of news about “Top Gun,” Simpson and Bruckheimer had a ton of clout with Paramount and the industry at the time. They even were able to control the rights to the soundtrack for the film — something they learned from the success of “Flashdance” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” Simpson-Bruckheimer Prods. cut a deal with Columbia Records for the soundtrack that spent several weeks at No. 1 in the summer of 1986 and yielded hits for Kenny Loggins (“‘Danger Zone”), Berlin (“Take My Breath Away”) and Harold Faltermeyer (“Top Gun Anthem,” “Memories”).

A trip through the Variety archives shows the first reference to the movie in nascent form came about two months after California magazine published the article that inspired the movie. “ Top Guns,” penned by Ehud Yonay, told the story of derring-do by top-tier young pilots at the Naval Air Station Miramar training facility near San Diego.

The project was mentioned as one of several in development in the Aug. 3, 1983 edition of Daily Variety , which included a page 1 story about Simpson and Bruckheimer signing a rich new three-year production pact with Paramount, which was eager to keep its dynamic duo on the Melrose lot. (In classic slate-story fashion, the other early-gestating projects cited are worth a read-through for ’80s movie obsessives.)

The “Top Gun”-related clips shared here follow the nuts-and-bolts process of assembling a movie, from landing Cruise and director Tony Scott to the hurdles in selecting the film’s female lead to the tragic 1985 death of ace pilot Art Scholl,who crashed while capturing aerial footage for the movie.

A look back at the transactional history of “Top Gun” also adds telling details to the legend of the late Don Simpson. Variety’s coverage of the voluble producer is a window on how the master showman worked every lever — he was on the phone with Variety ‘s Army Archerd at least once a week — to lay the groundwork for a blockbuster that would stand the test of time.

Simpson had his demons that led to his death in January 1996 at the age of 52. But before tales of his personal behavior overtook his professional accomplishments, he spent years as a movie marketing and advertising executive. He knew what to do with a massive hit. And he had a lot of thoughts about what it takes to make a great movie.

As Simpson told Variety in August 1983 when he and Bruckheimer inked what would be a fruitful, multi-picture deal with Paramount:

Interestingly, all of the 11 films Simpson and Bruckheimer now have in development are original ideas rather than scripts based on novels or film remakes. “One of the problems and reasons behind movies failing is that they’re not based on new ideas, ” Simpson offered. “We have much more on the upside working this way and I think our personal aptitude is more in that area.”

August 3, 1983: 'Top Gun' the Movie is Born

The first reference to “Top Gun” as a movie project came in the Aug. 3, 1983, edition of Daily Variety .

Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer parlayed their success with “Flashdance” into a lucrative multi-picture deal with Paramount Pictures — a pact that would pay off nicely for both sides with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Top Gun,” for starters.

The above-the-fold page 1 story in Variety cemented their status as hot-shot movie producers. It’s full of pearls of wisdom from Simpson, who had previously been president of production at Paramount before stepping down to produce “Flashdance.”

The story also features Paramount president Michael Eisner vowing that the pair would “be productive in both films and television.” What’s more, Eisner assured, in a quote that is now a time capsule, the TV marketplace was wide open for the pair: “We have two of the three networks interested in them (Simpson and Bruckheimer) as a team,” Eisner told Daily Variety ‘s Steven Ginsberg.

(Bruckheimer, of course, was destined for big things in TV, but it would take another 17 years before he found his first smash hit, CBS’ “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”)

Read the story in two parts below.

December 7, 1984: 'Top Guns' Gets the Greenlight

Paramount Pictures gave Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer an early holiday gift in December 1984 with the formal greenlight for what was dubbed “Top Guns,” as the tale was titled in the original 1983 magazine article on the Miramar Naval Air Station, aka “Fightertown, U.S.A.” It’s no coincidence that the good news came to Simpson and Bruckheimer as the pair’s Eddie Murphy starrer “Beverly Hills Cop” was beginning its strong run that same month.

Simpson vowed to Variety that the movie about hot-shot naval aviators would be akin to “this generation’s ‘From Here to Eternity.’ ”

Read the story below.

March 28, 1985: 'Top Gun' Lands Its Star and Director

A new regime at Paramount Pictures (Michael Eisner had moved on to run Disney by this point) threw even more money at Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer in 1985, as “Top Gun” readied for lensing and as “Beverly Hills Cop” fired up the box office. News that the producers had landed Tom Cruise to star and Tony Scott to direct made page 1 on March 28, 1985.

May 20, 1985: 'Top Gun' Gets a Quick Rewrite

Producer Don Simpson kept beloved Variety columnist Army Archerd regularly apprised of the trajectory of “Top Gun.” Here it’s clear he was doing some proactive damage control on rumors that the studio was unhappy with the script just as filming was about to begin.

June 3, 1985: Casting Call for 'Top Gun' Female Lead

“Available part: 26-28, femme, physics proficiency, intelligent, starring role.”

With cameras getting ready to roll in San Diego, Paramount sought submissions for the female lead on “Top Gun” as late as the June 3, 1985, edition of Daily Variety .

But in reality, the “Top Gun” team wasn’t waiting on general submissions to land in Marge Simpkin’s office at Paramount. Two days after that item ran, Variety columnist Army Archerd reported in “Just for Variety” that Kelly McGillis had landed the plum part opposite Tom Cruise.

McGillis was on a roll in her career at the time, coming off a well-reviewed performance with Harrison Ford in 1985’s “Witness.” But she did not return for sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.”

September 18, 1985: Top Hollywood Pilot Killed While Working on 'Top Gun'

“Top Gun” came face-to-face with the danger of flying during production when veteran Hollywood film pilot Art Scholl was killed while shooting second-unit aerial footage for director Tony Scott.

Daily Variety , in the Sept. 18, 1985, edition, reported that Scholl, 53, was believed to have died after his “prop-driven biplane crashed into the sea off the northern coast of San Diego.” A Paramount rep told Variety that Scholl had been working with a remote control camera.

Scholl’s previous credits include 1983’s “Blue Thunder” and “The Right Stuff” and 1975’s “The Great Waldo Pepper,” among other films. He was survived by his wife, Judy, and two sons, David and John.

May 9, 1986: 'Top Gun' Review -- 'Revved-Up But Empty Entertainment'

Let’s be frank: Variety did not love “Top Gun” on first viewing. Our reviewer deemed it “revved-up but empty entertainment” and observed that “watching the film is like wearing a Walkman” thanks to its propulsive soundtrack. But we did allow that “audiences prepared to go with it will be taken for a thrilling ride in the wide blue yonder.” (According to Variety ‘s unusual custom back then, the reviewer stayed mostly anonymous under the abbreviated byline “Jagr.”)

Read Variety ‘s original “Top Gun” review in two parts.

May 21, 1986: 'Top Gun' Soars at the Box Office

The verdict was in after opening weekend. “Top Gun” was a hit.

Variety reported on the film’s “big bow,” which ranked as the second-best of the year and helped boost overall receipts over the previous weekend by 37%. Simpson/Bruckheimer Productions and Paramount Pictures also made sure the industry didn’t miss the big numbers with a double-truck grosses ad that featured an instantly iconic shot of star Tom Cruise.

See the story and advertisement below.

January-March 1987: 'Top Gun' FYC Ads

“Top Gun” lived up to its name and stayed aloft as the top-grossing movie of 1986. Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and Paramount Pictures took a shot at the Oscar race, but they were practical.

Variety ‘s pages during the heat of the early 1987 campaign season (for movies released in 1986) demonstrate that Team “Top Gun” wisely focused its efforts on competing in song and score categories as well as film editing. The movie wound up earning a total of four Academy Award nominations: for sound, film editing, sound effects editing and original song, for tunesmiths Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for “Take My Breath Away,” as performed by Berlin. The film’s sole win came for song.

Here’s a sampling of “Top Gun” For Your Consideration ads.

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top gun (1986)

Maverick is a reckless ace fighter pilot, living with the ghosts of his famous aviator father and his own penchant for hijinks. Along with his best friend and navigator, Goose, Maverick attends the Navy's elite air combat academy where the two work together to compete for the title of Top Gun against the best of the best Naval aviators. Breaking rules and convention is his specialty and, true to form, Maverick falls in love with a civilian instructor at the academy. When his best friend, Goose, is killed in training, Maverick must pull himself back from the brink to prove that he can change his ways and become a team player.

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The cast of ‘top gun,’ then and now.

The classic 1986 action-drama is back in the zeitgeist after the release of 'Top Gun: Maverick.' Here's a look at what the cast of the first film has been up to since their last run to the Danger Zone.

By Jordan Wilson

Jordan Wilson

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Ever since the first trailer dropped, it was clear the long-awaited sequel to 1986’s high-flying classic Top Gun would tug at the heart strings with nostalgic imagery emulating the first film. From the blood-pumping aerial combat maneuvers to shirtless volleyball games, Top Gun: Maverick follows in the footsteps of the Tony Scott-directed original, which took home a worldwide gross of $356 million according to Box Office Mojo .

The original film featured a cast of popular actors whose careers would mostly blossom in the years after release, but Top Gun will always be remembered as the film that turned Tom Cruise from teenage heartthrob to true leading man, one death-defying scene at a time.

In celebration of the sequel, The Hollywood Reporter takes a look at what the cast of Top Gun has been up to since sticking the landing more than three decades ago.

Tom Cruise’s fame was on the rise by the time he was cast as Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Between The Outsiders and Risky Business (for which he received a best actor Golden Globe nomination), Cruise was fast becoming a star when he took to the cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat and flew toe-to-toe against Russian MiGs. He couldn’t stop being a leading man if he’d tried in the years after, starring in Rain Man opposite Dustin Hoffman, Stanley Kubrick’s final film Eyes Wide Shut and even taking the role of a bad guy in Michael Mann’s Collateral . He has been thrice-nominated for acting Oscars, for leading roles in Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire , and his supporting role in Magnolia . Cruise reprises his main role as the rebellious stick jockey in Top Gun: Maverick and remains active as Ethan Hunt, the spy at the center of the Mission: Impossible films.

Kelly McGillis

Playing an Amish woman opposite Harrison Ford in Witness got Kelly McGillis noticed by Top Gun producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who cast McGillis as the no-nonsense instructor turned love interest Charlie Blackwood. After the tremendous commercial success of Top Gun , McGillis starred in a few films including The Accused in 1988, but mostly stuck to theater roles even after being established as a major star in the late 1980s. She has since been in a number of small independent films, worked sporadically on TV and continued to perform theater.

Top Gun raised the specter of many of its stars, and Val Kilmer is no exception. After finding success leading the cast of the teenage sci-fi comedy Real Genius , Kilmer was cast as the cool-headed, methodical antagonist Iceman. Playing the constant tormentor of Maverick, Iceman eventually thaws to the rebellious nature of the movie’s hero in a touching scene of wingmanship toward the end of the film. Kilmer went on to star in a myriad of films, including Willow , The Doors (as frontman Jim Morrison), True Romance , Tombstone , Heat and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang . After being sidelined by health problems in recent years, Kilmer had a small role in the latest Kevin Smith flick Jay and Silent Bob Reboot . He reprises his role as Iceman for a cameo in Top Gun: Maverick .

Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards had a regular career in TV and small film roles in the early 1980s, but his first starring role as Gilbert in the raucous college comedy Revenge of the Nerds cemented him as a legitimate leading actor. Top Gun was big-time success with Edwards playing Goose, radar intercept officer and constant companion to Maverick whose story takes a tragic turn halfway through the film. Edwards took on many TV movie roles in the late ’80s and early ’90s before landing on the hospital drama ER as Mark Greene, a role for which he was Emmy-nominated four times as an outstanding lead actor in a drama series. His success in TV has continued with recurring roles in Billions , Law & Order and Netflix’s Inventing Anna . In Top Gun: Maverick , Miles Teller plays Goose’s son, a rookie pilot under the instruction of his father’s former wingman.

Tom Skerritt

Practically mid-career when cast as the sage instructor pilot Viper, Tom Skerritt had been acting in film since 1962’s War Hunt . He spent much of the 1960s in various television roles, regularly appearing as a soldier or cowboy in Combat! , The Virginian and Gunsmoke . He played a soldier again alongside Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould in Robert Altman’s 1970 satire MASH . He may be most well-known for playing Capt. Dallas, chief of the ill-fated spaceship Nostromo in Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror Alien . After Top Gun , Skerritt appeared in numerous other films and TV shows, notably Steel Magnolias and Cheers , and he won an Emmy for his performance as Sheriff Brock in Picket Fences . He has remained active, starring opposite Mira Sorvino in the 2021 drama film East of the Mountains .

Michael Ironside

Canadian-born Michael Ironside began acting in movies in the late 1970s, but picked up attention after playing scheming psychic Darryl Revok in David Cronenberg’s 1981 sci-fi horror Scanners . He played other intimidating characters in various low-budget movies until he was cast in Top Gun as Viper’s No. 2 instructor, Jester. The change of genre didn’t affect his career too much, as he continued to fill sci-fi roles in films like Highlander II: The Quickening , Total Recall and Starship Troopers . He’s also had a prolific television career, with parts in series like Tales From the Crypt ; Walker, Texas Ranger ; ER ; and Desperate Housewives . More recently, he appeared on Hulu’s The Dropout .

Tim Robbins

Though he was barely graduated from UCLA with a degree in Drama, Tim Robbins already had a recurring role on the TV series St. Elsewhere in 1982. Other bit parts followed before he was eventually cast in Top Gun as Merlin, Maverick’s backseater toward the climax of the film. Robbins wouldn’t truly break out until 1988’s Bull Durham , which would be followed by a string of successful 1990s mainstream films including Jacob’s Ladder , The Player and The Shawshank Redemption , where Robbins played the reserved but genius prisoner Andy Dufresne. Robbins earned an Oscar for 2004’s Mystic River , and his acting career has never really slowed down; he played Reginald “Pop” Merrill in Hulu’s Stephen King-adapted anthology series Castle Rock and a felonious DuPont lawyer in the 2019 film Dark Waters .

Other than Rich and Famous in 1981 and Amityville 3-D two years later, Meg Ryan had only appeared in a handful of TV series when she was cast as Goose’s wife, Carole. Top Gun was only the beginning, of course; her career achieved liftoff shortly thereafter when she starred in hit after hit, from When Harry Met Sally… to Sleepless in Seattle , Courage Under Fire , You’ve Got Mail and Kate & Leopold . Ryan has since moved behind the camera, making her directorial debut with the 2015 film Ithaca .

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Top Gun was the biggest, cockiest superhero movie of its time

The movie's take on what makes a hero is what dates it — and what makes it so fascinating.

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Top Gun — released 30 years ago, on May 16, 1986 — is a smirking fantasy of fast-talking macho men, fighter jets, and the women who love them both. It's a walking, talking July Fourth barbecue brought roaring to life. It kicks ass, then swaggers off into the sunset.

Everything about Top Gun 's color-by-numbers patriotism was purposeful. In fact, as Tom Shone details in his film history book Blockbuster , the idea for the movie was born when producer Jerry Bruckheimer glanced at California magazine and saw a photograph of a hotshot pilot.

That was it. There was no story beyond "guy looks great in his sweet fighter jet." The accompanying article was about the Navy's training school in Miramar, and Bruckheimer thought it looked something like " Star Wars on Earth"; that piece was called "Top Guns," and lo, an iconic action movie was born.

The film, which was directed by Tony Scott , does have a vague, bare-bones plot, but all of it serves Bruckheimer's initial two-dimensional vision. Tom Cruise plays a brilliant but rebellious pilot, and just in case you don't immediately understand his deal, he literally goes by "Maverick." Everyone at the Top Gun flight school tells him he's too cocky, too reckless, too self-assured. An instructor declares with a solemn head shake that Maverick's "ego writes checks [his] body can't cash."

But the subtext of every attempt to criticize Maverick is "— and it's awesome ."

There are some unconvincing plays at romance and rivalries, as Maverick seduces his dubious teacher, Charlie ( Kelly McGillis ) and trades pointed locker room talk with rival pilot Iceman ( Val Kilmer ). There's even a spot of heartbreak, when Goose — Maverick's best friend and co-pilot — dies during a botched drill exercise.

Eventually, the pilots get a chance to face off against some actual enemies flying in American airspace, but it's hardly more entertaining than the random loops Maverick and his friends practiced during training. As Walter Goodman  wrote in the New York Times's initial Top Gun review: "You can't always be sure exactly what's going on, but it's exciting anyhow."

For the most part, though, Top Gun is just a loving ode to awesome bros being awesome, and woe betide the buzzkill sap who wants to dampen their awesomeness.

Top Gun 's brand of patriotism exemplifies its era

Much of Top Gun is contextual, in that it makes perfect sense when viewed through the lens of the 1980s. At the time of its release, smack in the middle of the Cold War and during the frantic years leading up to the Berlin Wall coming down, Top Gun provided 110 slick minutes of Reagan-era American "exceptionalism." It famously drove up interest in Navy enlistments. While the army didn't explicitly use the film as a recruitment tool, it at least camped out in front of screenings, the better to grab those whose adrenaline got pumping just by watching from the sidelines.

Top Gun 's villains — America's enemies — are cold, faceless monsters. We know nothing about them except that they must be stopped. The Americans are dripping with righteousness and confidence, sometimes even literally, as Maverick and Iceman smolder and sweat at each other — in the locker room, in the sky, and during their famous detour into beach volleyball .

For some, the significance of Top Gun has taken on quite a new look in the 30 years since the film premiered; once a paragon of patriotism, it now represents the perils of jingoism instead. Just over 10 years ago, Keith Phipps wrote at the A.V. Club that Top Gun is a perfect time capsule for the summer of 1986, with the message that "[e]xceptional people get a free pass, so long as they act in the interests of their own success." Rolling Stone recently called the film "clunky" and "toxic," exemplary of the "macho militarism of the Reagan era."

But if you examine Top Gun within the broader context of how blockbuster films have evolved since its debut, the movie makes perfect sense — and it's not so distant from the present as it might seem.

Top Gun is far from perfect, but it perfectly encapsulates what its era considered to be a superhero

If Captain America were made in 1986, Tom Cruise would have played Cap with a sly grin and a wink.

In fact, from the late '80s to the dawn of the new millennium, Tom Cruise was Captain America. His movies — from Top Gun to Risky Business to Jerry Maguire — always embodied some aspect of the American dream, whether that meant beating up the bad guys or finding your bliss through enormous piles of cash. He played aggressive characters who could crack a joke at a moment's notice. He was confident, and good-looking in an obvious way that wouldn't scare your parents if you brought him home. He was cautiously vulnerable, exposing a raw nerve just long enough to prove it's there before he saved the day.

In 2016, though, Captain America is an open-hearted patriot whose rebellion takes a different form than Maverick's. He questions his government with a heavy but determined heart, taking hard moral stances instead of staging flashy acts of defiance.

And so while Scott turned to Cruise to play his aggressively badass version of Captain America, our present-day Cap is played by Chris Evans, a down-to-earth Boston boy whose anxiety about fame prevents him from throwing himself into the Hollywood meat grinder that made Cruise a superstar. In a wonderful piece for BuzzFeed , Bim Adewunmi recently described Evans as the perfect Captain America for 2016, writing, "In an age when vulnerability is met not with derision but understanding, now is the perfect moment for a star like Chris Evans to become the canvas we need to project our desires onto."

This isn't to say that Top Gun 's brand of braggadocio isn't still desired today; a long-gestating sequel is reportedly creeping closer than ever to production. Zack Snyder's rock 'em, sock 'em version of Batman v Superman buried its leads' solemn introspection beneath piles of rubble and ego. Also — and not insignificantly — famously combative Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for president.

But it's telling that the star of one of today's biggest film franchises is Captain America, a sweet, reluctant hero made only more heroic by his hesitance to blow things up without careful consideration. Thirty years ago, Cap might have flown past an enemy just to flip him off, because what's the point in saving the world if you can't prove how much they suck and you rule?

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Top Gun (1986) cast ages: How old was the cast then (and now)?

By aysha ashley househ | aug 10, 2023.

We’re all so obsessed with 1986 film Top Gun starring Tom Cruise, and it was so amazing to get a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick , in 2022! When the production was first released to audiences in the ’80s, it was to mixed reviews. Can you believe it? However as the weeks went by, the movie became the the highest-grossing domestic film of 1986. And the second film in the franchise has received massive success, currently streaming on Paramount+ .

The action drama takes us to the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School and introduces us to fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise). The new student’s cocky attitude causes tension between him and the other pilots. But this guy has two goals – become the top fighter pilot and get the attention of his flight instructor Charlotte (Kelly McGillis).

Ever wondered how old the actors were at the time? We’ve shared the cast’s ages at the time of the movie’s release in May 1986, as well as how old they are now as of August 2023.

How old was Tom Cruise in Top Gun?

The leading man who played LT Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was only 22 years old when the film began shooting, and 23 when it was released. He is the youngest amongst his co-stars. The iconic actor’s birthday is July 3, 1962 which means he is currently 61 years old.

How old was Kelly McGillis in Top Gun?

The actress was two months away from her twenty-ninth birthday when the production came out, taking on the role of Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood. Her birthday is only a few days after her co-star’s – July 9, 1957. She is currently 66 years old. McGillis didn’t reprise her role in the sequel but has continued to act in films throughout the years.

How old was Val Kilmer in Top Gun?

The actor who played LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, aka Maverick’s rival at the school, was 26 years old when the movie premiered. He is a winter baby, having been born Dec. 31, 1959. Kilmer is currently 63. The star reprised his role in the sequel and his most recent movie is a documentary about his life and career titled Val which is streaming on Prime Video.

How old was Anthony Edwards in Top Gun?

The LTJG Nick “Goose” Bradshaw actor was 23 years old, just two months away from turning 24 when the production debuted on the big screens. He was born July 19, 1962 and is currently 61 years old. Following his role in Top Gun , you may recognize Edwards from television shows like ER , Law & Order True Crime , and WeCrashed .

How old was Meg Ryan in Top Gun?

Ryan played Edwards’ onscreen wife, Carole Bradshaw. The actress was 24 years old during the action drama. She is currently 61 years old and her birthday is Nov. 19. The celebrity became one of the most successful actresses in the ’90s and 2000s, mostly known for romantic comedies like Sleepless in Seattle , When Harry Met Sally…. , You’ve Got Mail.

How old was Tom Skerritt in Top Gun?

Skerritt, aka CDR Mike “Viper” Metcalf in the film, was 53 years old when it was released to audiences. He is currently 89, soon celebrating his 90th birthday on Aug. 25. Skerritt is the oldest of his co-stars. The talent has been acting since 1962 with his debut film War Hunt .

How old was Michael Ironside in Top Gun?

The LCDR Rick “Jester” Heatherly actor was 35 years old when the Tom Cruise-led movie was released. Ironside is currently 73 years old and was born on Feb. 12, 1950. He has continued to act, many of his jobs in voiceover roles including projects like Superman: The Animated Series ,  Wolverine and the X-Men , and  Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising .

How old was Tim Robbins in Top Gun?

Radar intercept officer, LTJG Sam “Merlin” Wells, was played by Robbins. He was 28 years old at the time of movie, and is currently 64. Oct. 16 is when the actor celebrates his birthday. He’s known for roles such as Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption , Griffin Mill in The Playe r, and Senator Robert Hammond in Green Lantern .

Top Gun and its sequel Top Gun: Maverick are both currently streaming on Paramount+ .

Next. 50 best shows on streaming to watch right now. dark

3 action movies on Prime Video you need to watch in April 2024

W hen you think of action movies, you probably think of gripping plots, great fight or chase scenes, and a compelling cast. The three action movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in April all fit the bill. One was remade recently with a new cast and revamped storyline, but the original is available to stream as well for fans who appreciate the nostalgia.

The other two action movies you’ll want to check out this month are also classics, including one that saw a recent sequel enjoy tremendous box office success and another from the DC Comics universe. Whatever your tastes, this month, there are some exciting choices when it comes to action movies.

Road House (1989)

Along with Amazon Prime Video’s new remake of Road House  starring Jake Gyllenhaal, you can now also stream the original action movie, which stars Patrick Swayze in the lead role. As a cult classic, the original Road House is perfect viewing before you sink your teeth into the new interpretation. James Dalton (Swayze) is a professional bouncer who has a relatively calm, cool, and collected personality. But that’s the antithesis of who he used to be, a man who literally ripped another man’s throat out in self-defense. He’s hired because of his tremendous skills, which aid a bar owner who’s desperate to keep unsavory characters out of his establishment.

It’s interesting to watch the original movie either for the first time or again before seeing Gyllenhaal’s interpretation of a similar character. The original has great fight scenes and colorful characters like Sam Elliott’s Wade, who loves a good brawl to go with his cheap beer. While it’s admittedly cheesy, Road House offers just the right amount or corniness mixed with excitement to make you label it one of those must-watch movies that’s so bad, it’s good.

Stream Road House  on Amazon Prime Video.

Top Gun (1986)

If you watched Top Gun: Maverick again and again, chances are you still aren’t sick of it yet. But you can take a break and rewatch the original Top Gun to reacquaint yourself with the movie that introduced you to Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his wingman, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards). Arguably one of the best action dramas of the ’80s, Top Gun is filled with high-flying (literally) action, camaraderie, and a bit of romance, too. The movie follows Maverick’s journey within the U.S. Navy and his attempts to prove himself among his very competitive peers.

Maverick plays by his own set of rules, but he’s incredibly talented at what he does, which makes him such a likable and respected character. For an action movie, Top Gun has tons of emotional moments, too, all of which culminate in the sequel movie that came 36 years later. Watching the original Top Gun will have you feeling “the need … the need for speed.”

Stream Top Gun on Amazon Prime Video.

Batman Returns (1992)

Michael Keaton remains the best Batman in history , and he is in his prime as the superhero in this 1992 movie. Batman Returns , a direct sequel to Batman and the second movie in the series that premiered in the late ’80s, sees the title character battling Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) and Oswald Cobblepot, most famously known as The Penguin (Danny DeVito). The villains want power, despite what impact their actions might have on Gotham City, while Batman is determined to protect his home. Michelle Pfeiffer also stars as Catwoman , Shreck’s former secretary, who has her own plans to take down her former boss.

Directed by Tim Burton, Batman Returns broke box office records, and while it’s darker and more ominous than some fans had expected it to be, the cast and the compelling story drew viewers in. While Batman Returns isn’t the best movie in the franchise to watch with younger kids, but for adults and older kids, the movie showcases the brilliance that is the pairing of Burton and Keaton.

Stream Batman Returns  on Amazon Prime Video.

Screen Rant

Top gun 3's biggest maverick twist would avoid tom cruise's $4 billion franchise curse.

Top Gun 3 could use a shocking Maverick twist to pull off something that even Tom Cruise's most successful franchise has never been able to do.

• Top Gun 3 could replace Tom Cruise's beloved character, Maverick, with Miles Teller's Rooster as the new hero.
• Mission: Impossible failed to replace Cruise's Ethan Hunt, making Top Gun 3's potential twist unique.
• Killing off Maverick may be necessary for the franchise's longevity, as Cruise's presence dominates the series.

While Top Gun 3 may want to steer clear of one risky twist, this surprising reveal would allow the series to do something that Tom Cruise’s other franchise has never managed. For the longest time, it seemed like Top Gun would never spawn a profitable franchise. The original movie was a huge hit in 1986 and became a cult classic in the decades that followed, but its sequel spent an almost unprecedented 30 years in Development Hell before pre-production began in earnest. It was another six years before Top Gun: Maverick arrived, so hopes of the movie spawning another sequel were muted.

However, by Top Gun: Maverick ’s triumphant ending , it was clear that Tom Cruise had another huge series on his hands. Inevitably, Top Gun 3 was soon confirmed , although no release date has been announced for the sequel yet. Top Gun: Maverick ’s historic box office success proved that Maverick’s lengthy absence from the multiplex didn’t harm his popularity one bit, while the comparative under-performance of 2023’s Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One reaffirmed that the sequel was something special. Top Gun 3 ’s story could ensure that the series lasts a lot longer, but this will be risky.

Killing Off Maverick Would Let Top Gun Replace Him

Miles teller’s rooster could become the franchise’s new hero.

Top Gun 3 killing off Tom Cruise’s Maverick could allow the series to replace him , something that the actor’s other blockbuster franchise has never managed to pull off. Maverick dying wouldn’t be a huge shock in Top Gun 3 , especially after the original movie killed off Goose and Top Gun: Maverick killed off Iceman. These deaths proved that life as a Navy test pilot was risky and that Maverick’s age was catching up with him, two things that will still be true when Top Gun 3 brings Cruise’s antihero back to screens. Furthermore, Maverick isn’t exactly a risk-averse character.

Maverick’s Darkstar test flight was so dangerous that some viewers even hypothesized that he secretly died in Top Gun: Maverick ’s opening scene and the remainder of the movie was his dying dream. While this theory is a little extreme, there is no doubt that Maverick’s death would make perfect sense in Top Gun 3 . There is no reason for Top Gun 3 to rush into production while Cruise is still making Mission: Impossible sequels, and the character’s death grows more likely the older he gets. Meanwhile, Top Gun 3 already has a perfect Maverick replacement lined up in Miles Teller's Rooster.

Tom Cruise’s Other Major Series Couldn’t Replace Him

Mission: impossible failed to dethrone ethan hunt.

If Top Gun 3 does kill off Cruise’s character, this would be the first time that one of the actor’s blockbuster movie franchises has successfully replaced him. Cruise was technically replaced by Alan Ritchson in the role of Jack Reacher, but this only worked because the franchise changed from theatrical movies to an unrelated streaming series. In contrast, when Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol tried to establish Jeremy Renner’s Agent Brandt as a potential replacement for Cruise's Ethan Hun t, this effort ended in failure. Top Gun 3 could avoid this fate by killing off Maverick, something the Mission: Impossible movies never tried.

Killing off Maverick would ensure that Miles Teller’s Rooster could fill his role as the next movie’s protagonist. Much like Top Gun: Maverick ’s Iceman death gave Maverick a reason to grow and change, Maverick’s death could be the conduit for Rooster becoming a leader. One of the main reasons that Renner’s Brandt failed to convince as an action hero in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was that Cruise’s Hunt remained a more interesting, dynamic character throughout the sequel. To give Rooster a real shot at headlining the series, Cruise’s character couldn’t remain a presence in the franchise.

Top Gun 3 Can’t Replace Maverick Without Killing Him

Cruise’s best franchises couldn’t make him a supporting star.

Cruise is a leading man and, as such, Mission: Impossible and Top Gun would both be unable to replace him without killing off his character. Since Top Gun: Maverick gave Maverick a happy ending , Top Gun 3 could always retire the character and see Rooster replace him as a teacher for young recruits. However, it would be hard to get viewers invested in Rooster’s story if Cruise’s Maverick was still around. Maverick is the center of the Top Gun franchise’s universe, with both of the original movies focusing on his character arc.

This means that Top Gun 3 killing off Cruise is the only way to replace Maverick . However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the series needs to take this approach. Maverick could remain the star of the series, especially given how enduringly popular the Mission: Impossible movies are. Although the franchise’s most recent outing underperformed financially, the series remains a critical darling. As such, Top Gun 3 may end up keeping Cruise around thanks to his persistent popularity.

Top Gun: Maverick

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Cleared of Copyright Infringement in Lower Court

By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

Paramount has prevailed in the lower courts in a copyright infringement case over Top Gun: Maverick . 

In a decision handed down last Friday, April 5, a district judge dismissed the case , brought by the family of Ehud Yonay, a journalist whose 1983 story for California magazine, “Top Guns,” inspired the original 1986 film. At the time, Paramount secured the exclusive movie rights to the story and Yonay received a “based on” credit. 

In 2018, six years after Yonay’s death, his family began trying to retrieve the copyright to the story. It reverted back to them in January 2020, and though Top Gun : Maverick went into production in May 2018, the original suit claimed Paramount still needed to secure a new license because production was not completed until May 2021. 

To the extent there was some overlap between Top Gun: Maverick and Yonay’s article, Anderson ruled those specific details were not protected by copyright law. For instance, he said the themes in both works (“the bonds that form in military service,” “the sheer love of flying”) were “unprotected stock themes.” And there couldn’t be any copyright claim over the characters, because the characters in Yonay’s original story are “real people and therefore not protected by copyright law.”

And, the judge ruled, the only phrase the two works shared, “Fight on,” is one that’s “not entitled to copyright protection.” 

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But the Yonays’ attorney, Marc Toberoff, a seasoned copyright lawyer, said the family plans to appeal the ruling. “Paramount’s actions speak much louder than its counsel’s words,” he said. “In 1983, soon after Ehud Yonay’s cinematic ‘Top Guns’ Story appeared in California Magazine, Paramount literally raced to lock up the Story’s copyright to the exclusion of other Studios. … And unsurprisingly Yonay received credit on the resulting derivative film, Top Gun , spawning a lucrative franchise for the studio. Yet once Yonay’s widow and son exercised the rights Congress gave them in the Copyright Act to reclaim the author’s captivating Story, Paramount hand-waived them away exclaiming ‘What copyright?’ It’s just not a good look.”

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Tom Cruise Had A 4-Word Response When He Saw The Story For Top Gun 3. So, What's Next?

Short but effective!

Top Gun : Maverick was a monster success in 2022. The Tom Cruise-led blockbuster did record breaking numbers at the box office, and the action film even landed a Best Picture nomination that year. It was a hit with audiences as well, and everyone seemed to love the sequel to the 1986 Tony Scott film. Plans for a Top Gun 3 seemed inevitable, and recent reports suggest that Paramount is moving forward officially with a Top Gun threequel . Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently opened up about the film, revealing Cruise’s reaction to hearing the story idea for the film. 

The legendary film producer recently spoke to ScreenRant about the studio’s plans for Top Gun 3 , and how development on the film is progressing. The good news is that plans seem to be actively in motion, with Maverick director Joe Kosinski attached to direct again. As for Cruise’s response to hearing about the story plans for Top Gun 3 , according to Bruckheimer, he said:

I really like that.

This is admittedly a very short response, and not much to go off of. But when it comes to making a Top Gun film, Cruise’s approval is everything. It took over 30 years to get Top Gun: Maverick off the ground because the Jerry Maguire star didn’t want to proceed until the script was just right. Cruise is also a major producer on the Top Gun films, so his opinion is incredibly important for the future of the franchise. Getting him to sign off on at least the story pitch is a really great sign for a script to finally be put together. Even with this good news, it still may be a while before we see Top Gun 3 on the big screen. Bruckheimer said of the film: 

It will be Tom Cruise [leading the cast]. Tom is amazing. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and [Tom] said, ‘I really like that,’ so we’re developing it. But you never know when it’s going to get made because Tom is so busy. He’s doing ‘Mission: Impossible’ right now, he’s got a picture after it. Hopefully, we’ll get a screenplay that he loves, and we’ll be back in the air again.

Bruckheimer is right to say that Mission: Impossible is a massive commitment for Cruise, especially in the most recent years. Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part 1 faced a number of delays due to a complex COVID production. Additionally, Mission: Impossible 8 had to stop filming due to the 2023 Actors and Writers strikes. As a result M:I 8 has also been delayed to 2025 . In general, the Mission films are complicated productions with their complex action sequences, and logistics involved. With such an undertaking, Cruise pursuing a Top Gun 3 in tandem with M:I responsibilities feels almost, well, mission impossible .

However, this is great news regardless. With the main team behind Maverick back to work on Top Gun 3 , and a strong Cruise-approved story in the works, Paramount seems to have all the tools for another hit on their hands. Glen Powell has expressed interest in returning to Top Gun when duty calls, and it seems like the other cast members are down for another high-flying adventure . Even if fans do have to wait for Cruise’s schedule to clear up, if Top Gun: Maverick was any indication, Top Gun 3 will be well worth the wait. 

While fans wait for Top Gun 3 to eventually hit the big screen, they can revisit Tom Cruise ’s adrenaline pumping performances in 1986’s Top Gun and 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick , which are both now streaming for Paramount+ subscribers . For more information on other films heading to streaming and cinemas in the future, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule . 

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• Trivia Tom Cruise reportedly wasn't happy with the American cut of this movie and wouldn't talk about it for years because of it. He very much encouraged fans to go with the Director's Cut.
• Goofs Throughout the movie, the Unicorns have mismatched genders. It can clearly be seen when the animals rear up in the air. One example of this is when Brown Tom is guarding the "mare", and Lily trudges through the snow, frightening the horse.

Darkness : The dreams of youth are the regrets of maturity.

• Alternate versions There are at least four different versions of this picture: the original European release (94 min.), the American theatrical release (89 min.), a network TV version (94 min.) and a director's cut (113 min.)
• Connections Edited into Nostalgia Critic: Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2017)
• Soundtracks Is Your Love Strong Enough Written and Performed by Bryan Ferry Produced by Rhett Davies and Bryan Ferry Mixed by Bob Clearmountain

User reviews 366

• Apr 4, 2002
• What is Legend about?
• What are the differences between the Theatrical Version and the Director's Cut?
• April 18, 1986 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Silver Springs - 5656 E. Silver Springs Boulevard, Ocala, Florida, USA (underwater sequences)
• Legend Production Company
• Embassy International Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $24,500,000 (estimated)
• $15,502,112
• Apr 20, 1986
• $16,837,628

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 34 minutes

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• Entertainment

Tom Cruise Seen Sprinting Down Street in London as He Shoots Next Mission: Impossible Movie

The eighth 'Mission: Impossible' film, which does not yet have a title, is expected in theaters May 23, 2025

Mega / Dean - Click News And Media / SplashNews.com

Tom Cruise is showing no signs of slowing down in the next Mission: Impossible movie.

On Sunday, Cruise, 61, was seen sprinting down a street in London while filming a scene for the upcoming eighth film in his signature action franchise. The actor could be seen wearing a black suit with a white shirt opened at the top, with fake blood drenched over his chest while filming the sequence.

Cruise most recently appeared as his Mission: Impossible character Ethan Hunt in last year's Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning , which made $172 million at the  domestic box office . Dead Reckoning also earned the franchise its first-ever Academy Award nominations when it received nods for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the recent 96th Oscars ceremony.

A title for the upcoming eighth Mission: Impossible movie has not yet been announced. The next film was originally set for release on June 28, but production delays related to 2023's SAG-AFTRA strike forced the film to restart production in the fall and delay its release until May 23, 2025, as Deadline reported back in October.

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Dead Reckoning left Cruise's character Ethan Hunt and series regulars Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg) at odds with villain Gabriel (Esai Morales) and forging new alliances with characters like Grace (Hayley Atwell) over a battle for control over a sentient artificial intelligence.

James Gourley/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

The eighth Mission: Impossible film is just one movie among a number of projects Cruise has in development. In February, PEOPLE confirmed Cruise will star in the next movie from The Revenant filmmaker  Alejandro G. Iñárritu , while The Hollywood Reporter  reported in January that Paramount is developing Top Gun 3 as a sequel to Cruise's major 2022 success Top Gun: Maverick .

Cruise, known for his penchant for performing his own stunts, was recently seen climbing the iconic Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills on March 16 accompanied by a film crew. A representative for Cruise did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment Monday. While it's unclear what Cruise was filming on Saturday, the stunt did not appear related to the next Mission: Impossible film.

Mission: Impossible 8 is expected in theaters May 23, 2025.

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