Val Kilmer joins Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’ sequel

“ICEMAN” will return to join “Maverick” in the Top Gun sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick”, out July 12, 2019, in the US.

“Top Gun: Maverick” is continuing to take shape. With Tom Cruise stepping back into his legendary role as the cocky daredevil pilot, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, The Wrap reports that Val Kilmer has now joined the cast of the sequel to the cult 1980s movie.

In the original film, which propelled Cruise to international stardom, Kilmer played Tom Kazansky, aka Iceman. The two characters start out as rivals before becoming friends after earning each other’s respect.

“Top Gun: Maverick” has just started filming, as confirmed by Cruise on Twitter at the end of May:

In “Top Gun: Maverick,” Mitchell is back in action as an instructor at the Top Gun training base. The sequel will follow new pilots in a world where drone technology is making the old flying style obsolete. American filmmaker, Joseph Kosinski, will direct the sequel, with a screenplay by Eric Warren Singer (“Only the Brave”), Peter Craig (“The Hunger Games”) and Justin Marks (“The Jungle Book”).

Prior to his suicide in 2012, Tony Scott — who directed the 1986 “Top Gun” movie — had started developing a follow-up adventure for Maverick with Cruise. The original, starring Cruise, Kelly McGillis and Kilmer, grossed over US$353 million worldwide. — Relaxnews