With ‘Top Gun 2’ being officially in the works, it remains a big question whether Tom Cruise will be coming back to reprise his role as Maverick.
Skydance CEO David Ellison has already issued an official statement to confirm that the sequel is currently being developed.
"Justin Marks is writing the screenplay right now," Ellison said in an interview with Variety. "He has a phenomenal take to really update that world for what fighter pilots in the Navy have turned into today."
He also opened up about the impact of technology on fighting and warfare these days.
"It is very much a world we live in today where it's drone technology and fifth generation fighters,” Ellison explained. “It's really exploring the end of an era of dogfighting and fighter pilots and what that culture is today."
The studio executive broke the news during a press junket for ‘Terminator: Genisys’ in Berlin and dropped hints of Cruise’s possible return.
"There is an amazing role for Maverick in the movie, and there is no Top Gun without Maverick," he said. "And it is going to be Maverick playing Maverick."’
Cruise took on the leading role in the action drama movie about a Navy fighter in the 1980s. Directed by Tony Scott, the film propelled the actor’s career forward. It also starred Val Kilmer as Iceman, Kelly McGillis as Charlie, Anthony Edwards as Goose and Tom Skerritt as Viper.
Meanwhile, as more details about ‘Top Gun 2’ are expected to be announced soon, Cruise’s character in the upcoming ‘Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation’ has recently graced the headlines as part of the character posters and new trailers unveiled by Paramount Pictures.
This 2015, Cruise reprises his role as agent Ethan Hunt who offers his professional spy services for the Impossible Mission Force.
In the upcoming ‘Mission: Impossible’ installment, the 52-year-old actor has collaborated with his ‘Jack Reacher’ helmer and writer as well as ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ co-writer Christopher McQuarrie.
Aside from Cruise, the rest of the cast regulars are expected to return at an earlier date as the fifth film of the franchise is set for a release on July 31, 2015.
These cast members include Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, and Jeremy Renner as William Brandt.
Newcomers have also signed on to ‘Mission: Impossible 5,’ such as Alec Baldwin who will play the CIA chief and Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu who is reportedly up for a major role in the movie. ‘The Borgias’ actor Sean Harris also takes on the role of the film’s main villain.