The Navy confirmed Wednesday that a crew from Paramount and Bruckheimer Films is aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in Norfolk, Va., as part of production for the sequel to the film “Top Gun.”
Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesperson Cmdr. Dave Hecht verified to the Virginian-Pilot that a crew has been aboard the Lincoln this week and will be shooting footage of the flight deck air operations until Saturday.
“This opportunity is one of many aircraft carrier embarks planned pierside and at sea on both coasts coordinated by the Commander, Naval Air Forces,” Hecht said, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
“Top Gun inspired countless men and women to volunteer to protect and defend our country as Naval aviators and the crew of USS Abraham Lincoln are excited to play a small role in bringing this story back to the silver screen and inspiring another generation to serve in the world’s finest Navy,” Hecht added.
Paramount “will reimburse the Navy for any costs incurred for flying sequences which do not meet training objectives,” according to CNN.
.@USNavy: A film crew from Paramount is currently aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier filming carrier qualifications for the Top Gun sequel. Paramount “will reimburse the Navy for any costs incurred for flying sequences which do not meet training objectives”
— Ryan Browne (@rabrowne75) August 22, 2018
Tom Cruise will reprise his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the film that is set to be released in July 2019. Reports emerged last month that Miles Teller would be playing the son of Maverick’s co-pilot and best friend in the 1986 film, “Goose.” Val Kilmer will also be reprising his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the film.
Cruise revealed that production for the movie had started in May when he posted a photo to social media of the original film with the words “feel the need” over the image, a reference to a quote from the original movie, “I feel the need, the need for speed.”
#Day1 pic.twitter.com/7jjPL277Es
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) May 31, 2018
Cruise said the film will “stylistically” share similarities with the original film, and disclosed the sequel would be called “Top Gun: Maverick.”
“Stylistically, it’ll be the same,” Cruise said in an interview with Access Hollywood in 2017. “We’ll have big, fast machines. … It’s going to be a competition film like the first one, and it’s going to be in the same vein, the same tone as the first one, but a progression for Maverick.”
