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Tom Cruise is Learning to Fly Fighter Jets For Top Gun 2, Delays Production

Tom Cruise is one of the few action stars (of his age and not only) to do most of his own stunts. He takes much pride in that – so much so that most of the promotional trail for a movie is comprised of anecdotes about this or that stunt and how much preparation he needed for it.
Tom Cruise riding a Kawasaki Ninja H2 Carbon on the set of "Top Gun: Maverick 6 photos
Photo: SoloMoto.es
Tom Cruise's record-setting HALO jump for Mission Impossible: FalloutTom Cruise's record-setting HALO jump for Mission Impossible: FalloutTom Cruise's record-setting HALO jump for Mission Impossible: FalloutTom Cruise's record-setting HALO jump for Mission Impossible: FalloutTom Cruise's record-setting HALO jump for Mission Impossible: Fallout
Well, while Cruise can ride bikes, jump out of planes, jump off building rooftops and even do all the driving in chase scenes, he’s yet to fly a fighter jet. As it happens, he plays a pilot of a fighter jet in the upcoming “Top Gun 2,” so he’s decided to take some time off to learn to be just that: an actual pilot of a fighter jet, so he can shoot most of the fight scenes himself.

This comes from The Sun, so, you know, do take it with a grain of salt. Insiders on the production claim that the actor’s decision is somewhat new and definitely troubling for the producers, because filming has already begun. Because of it, the entire production and the film’s release date will have to be pushed back by at least a year.

Then again, there’s no saying no to Tom Cruise. He might not be much of a celebrity these days thanks to his association to Scientology, but he remains a top-selling action movie star. So if Tom Cruise wants to fly a fighter jet, he will fly a fighter jet.

“Tom is well known for doing his own stunts and the Top Gun sequel is no different. He prides himself on making the action sequences as realistic as possible,” an insider reveals for the tab. “He already has a license to fly planes but isn’t qualified to fly fighter jets, which he’s now learning to do.”

“He won’t film all the flight sequences – it’s too dangerous - but he will fly some, making him the first actor in cinema history to do so. The producers would prefer not to put their leading man, not to mention their whole film, at risk,” the insider continues.

Still, because Tom wants this so badly, they will do just that – and face the sky-high insurance costs and the delayed release date.

Top Gun: Maverick” or “Top Gun 2” comes 30 years after the original and not much is known about it as of the time of writing. It is directed by Joseph Kosinski and sees Val Kilmer reprise his role, and Jennifer Connelly playing the love interest. It’s scheduled for a June 2020 release date, but if The Sun is right, it will be 2021 before we see Cruise flying an actual fighter jet on the big screen.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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