Most iconic movies of the 1980s came with an equally outstanding soundtrack, and Top Gun was one of them with the hit single Take My Breath Away by Berlin, as well as songs like Danger Zone and the movie's theme song. Now with Top Gun: Maverick finally about to zoom into cinemas this summer after a substantial delay, guitarist Johnny Marr has revealed that he has created a new "epic" theme song for the movie with Hans Zimmer, who has composed the score for Tom Cruise's return as Maverick.

Marr has worked on a lot of film scores since his days as the guitarist in 80’s group The Smiths, and has often found himself collaborating with Zimmer, having worked with the legendary composer on films like The Amazing Spiderman 2 and most recently provided guitar on the Billie Eilish title track of Bond movie No Time To Die. With Top Gun: Maverick, the pair have once again come together this time “almost by accident” according to Marr, who recently talked about his input on the upcoming movie’s soundtrack. He said:

“I’ll tell you, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this anywhere yet, but I don’t see why not. Almost by accident, I guess did the theme to the new Top Gun [Top Gun: Maverick]. I think there was some issue with how the theme was sounding, and I was around and I have a guitar. It really was as simple as that. I haven’t seen the movie in its entirety. I didn’t do the score, I just played the theme. [...] I was presented with the thing and they wanted me to make it sound epic. I was like, sure, okay, I can do that!”

Top Gun: Maverick Is Looking to Recapture The Feel and The Thrill of the 80s Original

It has been almost forty years since Top Gun roared into cinemas in 1986, and thanks to the Covid pandemic, it has taken even longer than expected to bring the sequel to theaters. This summer will finally see Tom Cruise return as Maverick, and it was recently revealed that Val Kilmer will also be back in action in the movie, which fans had not necessarily been expecting following his battle with throat cancer. With Kilmer also on board, a soaring new theme song and Cruise back in the pilot's seat, Top Gun: Maverick is attempting to ride a strong wave of nostalgia and bring back everything that made the original movie a success.

The official movie synopsis reveals a personal story for Maverick, with ghosts from the past coming to haunt him as he becomes part of a mission that will challenge him like never before. The synopsis reads, “After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: "Rooster", the son of Maverick's late best friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka "Goose". Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.”

Top Gun: Maverick is currently set to land in cinemas on May 27th.