While lacking official announcement, reports claim that Tom Cruise is confirmed to join "Top Gun 2" movie following the success of "Mission Impossible 5: Rogue Nation."
Two weeks following its release, "Mission Impossible 5" reportedly gross over $263.9 million worldwide, Deadline reported.
With "Mi:5" officially out of the picture, Cruise reportedly has his eyes on "Top Gun 2."
While he has yet to confirm his involvement, Tom Cruise told Reuters that he will gamely return and reprise his role as Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in one condition.
"It would be fun. I would like to get back into those jets," Cruise said.
"It would have to be practical. I don't want any CGI jets. I want to shoot it like how we shot the first one," he added.
Cruise's statement is reportedly in conjuction with what Skydance CEO David Ellison wants, VC Post reported.
While Ellison reported agrees with Cruise's desire to not include any CGI jets, Collider reported that the executive is planning to have Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell battle drones for "Top Gun 2."
"Justin Marks is writing the screenplay right now," Ellison said. "He has a phenomenal take to really update that world for what fighter pilots in the Navy has turned into today."
He added, "It is very much a world we live in today where it's drone technology and fifth generation fighters ... It's really exploring the end of an era of dogfighting and fighter pilots and what that culture is today."
Furthermore, Ellison admitted that Tom Cruise is indeed returning to the sequel, noting that there will be no "Top Gun 2" without Cruise's character.
"There is an amazing role for Maverick in the movie, and there is no 'Top Gun' without Maverick, and it is going to be Maverick playing Maverick," Ellison said.
It can be remembered that producer Jerry Bruckheimer also said something about "drones" and its role in "Top Gun 2" movie.
"The concept is, basically, are the pilots obsolete because of drones," Bruckheimer explained of the sequel's plot. "Cruise is going to show them that they're not obsolete. They're here to stay."
"It's just getting to the starting place. Fortunately for Tom, he's very busy, so you have to find a slot he can fit into and get a budget that [studio] Paramount feels they can make the picture."
