Top Gun 2: Another Classic Original Character Joins The Movie's Cast

Last week it was revealed that production had started on Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the classic 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. Tom Cruise is back in the lead role as ace fighter pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, and it has now been reported that at least one other member of the original cast will be joining him. Yes, Iceman is back.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Val Kilmer will return as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. In the original movie, Kazansky was Maverick's great rival, but ultimately became friends, with Iceman delivering the classic line, "You can be my wingman anytime." We'll find out if they're still pals 30 years later when the movie is released in July next year.

Top Gun: Maverick is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who previously worked with Cruise on the 2014 sci-fi movie Oblivion. This won't be the first time Kosinski has brought a popular '80s movie property back to the big screen either; he also directed the Tron reboot Tron Legacy in 2010. No other casting news beyond Cruise and Kilmer has been revealed yet, but expect more names to be announced in the coming weeks.

In an interview with comingsoon.net last year, Kosinski spoke about what would set Top Gun: Maverick apart from the original movie. "The Navy is very different now than it was in 1986," he explained. "Back then, they hadn't been in any war for 15 or 20 years at that point. The tone of that movie and what those guys were doing was very different.

"Now, here in 2017, the Navy's been at war for 20 years. It's just a different world now, so you can't remake the first movie. It has to adapt. That being said, I certainly want to recreate the experience of that movie, which gives you a front-seat into the world of Naval aviation and what it's like to be in a fighter jet. The approach is going to be appropriate for the times we live in."

Top Gun was released in May 1986. It went on become the highest grossing film of that year, earning $353 million worldwide from a budget of just $15 million. Top Gun: Maverick hits theaters on July 12, 2019.

In related news, Cruise can soon be seen in another of his iconic roles, as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible: Fallout. The movie releases next month--check out the latest trailer.