Tom Cruise Buzzes The Tower With First Image From ‘Top Gun’ Sequel

Tom Cruise revealed the Top Gun sequel is officially in production Thursday with a photo posted Thursday to Instagram. The actor dons the flight suit and the Maverick nickname once more 32 years after the original action film took to the skies.

Cruise posted an image of him in a flight suit and carrying his helmet gazing off toward a naval fighter jet out of focus in the background. “Feel The Need” is tagged across the photo while Cruise simply wrote “#Day1” in the message of the post. The Paramount Pictures logo is also neatly tucked away at the bottom, confirming the production company and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are indeed back on board.

The sequel is currently titled Top Gun: Maverick with writers Peter Craig (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, 12 Strong) and Justin Marks (The Jungle Book) listed on IMDB. Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion) is currently slotted as the director, which will be another reunion as he and Cruise worked together on Oblivion. There is no confirmation of who will sit in the director’s chair or who will fill out the rest of the cast.

The film is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer along with David Ellison’s Skydance Media. Top Gun: Maverick is currently slated for a July 12, 2019 release in North America and will release internationally just prior to that date, according to Deadline.

Top Gun was originally released in 1986 and featured Tom Cruise in the lead role as US Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell with his Radar Intercept Officer Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edward. The two are sent to the U.S. Navy’s Top Gun flight school despite Maverick’s reckless behavior where they compete to become the Navy’s best pilots against Val Kilmer’s Iceman. Meanwhile, Kelly McGillis served the role as a flight instructor and target for Maverick’s affections.

The Top Gun sequel was first hinted at back in January 2016 when Jerry Bruckheimer shared a photo on Twitter announcing he and Cruise were talking about the sequel.

“Just got back from a weekend in New Orleans to see my old friend @TomCruise and discuss a little Top Gun 2,” the legendary producer with more than 40 years in Hollywood wrote.

Just got back from a weekend in New Orleans to see my old friend @TomCruise and discuss a little Top Gun 2. pic.twitter.com/vA2xK7S7JS

— BRUCKHEIMER FILMS/TV (@BRUCKHEIMERJB) January 26, 2016

Cruise later appeared on Australia’s Sunrise in May of last year where he confirmed Top Gun: Maverick was definitely happening, and shooting would start in the next year. It’s now officially one year later and fans will get to find out what has happened to Maverick over the last 30 years.