Top Gun 2 is a go

Top Gun isn’t exactly a film that’s been crying out for a sequel – but when has that ever stopped studio bigwigs?

So, yes, Top Gun 2 is officially in the works 24 years after its 1986 predecessor, and by all accounts it’s something of a passion project for plane-obsessed director David Ellison.

Having directed Flyboys , the World War I drama that flew under most peoples’ radars on its 2006 release, Ellison has set up shop with a second Top Gun and hired Oscar-winning scripter Christopher McQuarrie to write a draft.

Paramount seem keen on the idea, having also extended a directing offer to original helmer Tony Scott, while Tom Cruise is also said to be making a return cameo as Maverick - so long as the role isn’t too “obvious”.

But surely the more important return star would be Val Kilmer, whose profile may not be what it used to be, but who has proved he’s still got it with films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Bad Lieutenant and MacGruber .

Either way, it's definitely time to go aviator shopping and work on our plucky banter…

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.