“Top Gun: Maverick” would not be complete without the Iceman, and thanks to modern technology, Val Kilmer’s medical condition was not going to be a barrier. Val Kilmer lost his voice or any ability to verbally communicate a few years back. Thanks to AI technology the Iceman was not kept silent.
AI use tools that snip monologs used in previous movies and stitch them together to assemble Kilmer’s voice. This innovation has become a groundbreaking tool that will bring to life the voices of other actors who have lost their voices, and even of those who are no longer with us.
Checking Cruise's Chemistry
Playing Rooster didn't come smoothly into Miles Teller's hands. In fact, there were two other actors who were in line for the role: Nicholas Hoult, and Glen Powell.
All three actors were flown to Cruise's premises to test their chemistry with him. Teller left the other two in the dust and got the role. Powell did leave a good impression, which then lead to him becoming Hangman.
When the US Military Butts in
Unlike the first "Top Gun" movie, when it came to shooting "Top Gun: Maverick" the US military was involved. For real. The Defense Entertainment Media Department provided military equipment and expertise.
If it wasn't for the Defence Entertainment Department's good deed, the production would have had to spend a fortune on CGI creations, which would never pass the Cruise-seeking-for-perfection test.
World Record in Postponing the Launch
"Top Gun: Maverick" was released in May 2022, however, this was not the original date. Originally, the summer of 2019 was supposed to bring the hit to our screens. As the shooting took longer than expected, it was postponed by one year but then nature had its own plans and it was postponed again and again and again. The movie has broken the record of being the one postponed the most times.
The final releasing date couldn't have been better. Tom Cruise was adorning the headline for a different movie he was supposed to be starring in so his name on the tabloids introducing the new Top Gun movie, benefited them all.
The Secrest Slipped Out
Way back in 2000 there was s suspicion that a "Top Gun" sequel was in the making. In an interview on an Australian morning show, Cruise accidentally (or deliberately, we don't know) hinted that things were happening and that "Top Gun" fans were in for a surprise.
Although the production only began working on the movie in 2010, it had to be paused until 2015 following Tony Scott's, who was part of the original production team, unexpected passing.