At a press junket for 'Unstoppable', high-energy veteran director Tony Scott told WhatsPlaying that he WILL direct 'Top Gun 2', which we heard last week was getting serious at Paramount. Jerry Bruckheimer will again produce, Chris McQuarrie ('Valkyrie') is writing, and depending on whose sources you believe they want Cruise's Maverick to lead, or just return as a supporting character. Presumably, depending on the quality of the screenplay when it's turned in next year will depend on whether Cruise decides to return as an older Maverick teaching the kids, though with Scott back at the helm, I would say there's a good chance. Since the WhatsPlaying announcement, Scott said the following to Hitfix;
"This world fascinated me, because it's so different from what it was originally... But, I don't want to do a remake. I don't want to do a reinvention. I want to do a new movie."
Which at least means that Maverick won't be re-cast if Tom Cruise doesn't return...
"I'm not waiting for a script. I'm going to do my homework. I'm going down to I think it's Fallon, Nevada, down near New Mexico and it's a whole different world now," Scott says. "These computer geeks -- these kids play war games in a trailer in Fallon, Nevada and if we ever went to war or were in the Middle East or the Far East or wherever it is, these guys can actually fly drones. They are unmanned aircraft. They operate them and then they party all night."
Operating drones from a trailer? Doesn't that sound more like 'War Games 2' than 'Top Gun 2'. Surely he doesn't mean we won't have manned aircraft dog-fighting? Surely? SURELY!!!As I've said in previous write-ups, 'Top Gun' was THE movie of 1986. It was the 'Transformers' or 'The Dark Knight' of it's year, hitting a pop culture wave that hit both gender demographics, and the kids digged it, as did the older generation. Not only is it the beloved performance of Tom Cruise amongst the general public but also Scott's most popular film, and probably one of his top 3. It also showcased Tony Scott at the early part of his career when he used natural colour schemes over the de-saturation colours he uses now. His camera was less frenetic and his movies were a little less recgonisable as a Tony Scott film than they are now. Hell, if you watched it today you might think it was made by Michael Bay. So I'm certain his 'Top Gun 2' will look and feel different.We are also now in a wholly different era and it's not clear who the U.S. would be at war with for this? Or will they make the decision to go with aliens, allowing 'Independence Day' like sequences? Will Paramount star Shia LaBeouf be sought?? Hopefully with Tony Scott, we can think older actors... like Denzel Washington. Is Chris Pine now an option with his 'Unstoppable' connection? Scott confirms the movie won't be his next (we already know that'll be Nemesis based on the Mark Millar comic) but it's likely to be his next movie after that, probably filming in 2012.