Thirty-four years after Top Gun originally flew into theaters, Tom Cruise is ready to return to his iconic role as fighter pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick, this time with a new generation of aviators under his tutelage. Unfortunately, the sequel's release got delayed due to the global lockdown. Miles Teller, who plays the role of the son of fan-favorite character Nick "Goose" Bradshaw from the original Top Gun in the sequel, revealed to Men's Journal the importance of the role for him and the audience.

"Playing Goose's kid and getting to continue that storyline that was established in such a powerful way all those years ago, there is a lot of history there. I think when audience realizes the character I play is that tiny kid they saw in the original, it is going to hit. I was able to see it a couple weeks ago. The movie just blew me away, and my wife said, "That might be the best film I have ever seen." She was crying multiple times."

Top Gun: Maverick takes place decades after the events of Top Gun. The character of Maverick is still one of the navy's best pilots, who prefers to keep flying on new missions instead of taking a cushy desk job. As is the case with other Tom Cruise movies, Top Gun: Maverick features real plane stunts performed in the air rather than CGI trickery. Miles Teller believes the film's reliance on practical effects will help it stand the test of time as a true classic of its genre.

"I don't think it would be possible to recreate what we did with all of the practical flying. You hope to be part of something that lasts forever. I think that we might have done that. It is fun, entertaining, emotional, and high-octane. There is a lot of heart in the story, and I can't wait for people to see it. For fans of the original, I think they are going to be grinning from ear-to-ear the whole time. This is going to give them what they want."

Of course, the actors had to undergo intense training before they were allowed anywhere near the planes. Teller described needing to pass the Naval Aviation Survival Training course in San Diego in order to prepare for his role. There the actor had to learn every protocol in case of ever having to eject over the ocean. And from the sounds of it, the learning process was far from pleasant.

"They drag you across the water, they flip you on your bag, they want to see you able to get out of your harness and much more. That all leads up to the big test they put you through, which is called "The Dunker," where they put you into a modified helicopter, strap you to a chair, and then submerge this tank underwater. They blindfold you. Give you a chance to grab your last breath and then they take you down under the surface. Once you are under, they start to flip the tank and you have to prove you can go through the right operations to get out, as calmly as possible. Your partner is in there with you, and together you have to break open the hatch. It feels like some sort of torture chamber to a degree."

Directed by Joseph Kosinski from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie, Top Gun: Maverick stars Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer, Ed Harris, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Manny Jacinto, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, and Jay Ellis. The film arrives in theaters on July 2, 2021. This news comes from Mens Journal.