When it comes to his filmography,Tom Cruiseis a traditionalist.
During a tribute prior to Wednesday’s premiere ofTop Gun: Maverickat theCannes Film Festival, the 59-year-old said he “never” considered a streaming release for his pandemic-delayed movie.
“That was never going to happen. Ever,” Cruise said of the sequel’s streaming-debut possibility. “I make movies for the big screen.”
During Wednesday’s panel, Cruise also said he wears a baseball cap to take in his own movies undercover in theaters, and indicated that he strives to make films that will stand the test of time.
Tom Cruise.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
The star arrived at the festival premiere forMaverick— in which he makes a triumphant return as Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, after first appearing as the character in 1986’sTop Gun— to much fanfare, signing autographs (making sure to use hand sanitizer afterward, amid the ongoingCOVID-19pandemic) and receiving a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.
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“I’m gonna take this all in; I’m never gonna forget this evening and I feel very grateful and very blessed,” he told the audience ahead of the movie’s screening at the Cannes premiere. “Thank you all for being here. Thank you for this time. We’re here for you — I make these movies for all of you, and I feel very blessed to be able to do what I do.”
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Tom Cruise and Jennifer Connelly.VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty
Ahead ofMaverick’s U.S. premiere in theaters, criticsare praising Cruise’s performancein the “barrier-breaking sequel,” asVariety’s Peter Debruge writes in his review.
But according to Debruge,Maverickdoesn’t rely on being “TheTom CruiseShow,” and instead involves “perfectly coordinated teamwork among six pilots, recalling the group air battle that bonded Iceman (Val Kilmer) and Maverick in the original movie.”
IGN’s Matt Donato calls it “theTop Gunsequel purists will crave,” praising it as “an out-of-bounds blast of afterburner fumes and thrill-seeker highs that’s sure to please audiences looking for a classic summer blockbuster.”
RELATED VIDEO:Top Gun: MaverickStarsTom Cruise, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller and More on Filming the “Love Letter to Aviation”
Thenew film finds Maverick30 years after his graduation from TOPGUN Naval aviation program, when he is called back as an instructor for the elite fliers. Among his young charges is Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his late best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwardsin the first movie). Teller, 35, is among the actors cast as a new class of pilots, which includesGlen Powell,Greg Tarzan DavisandLewis Pullman.
And Cruise did his best to warn them about the flying stunts they’d be performing in the film.
“I was very clear in the beginning: ‘This is what it’s going to be like. It’s not for everyone,’ " he recently told PEOPLE in aTop Gunspecial edition. “I want people to enjoy the experience. ‘If you don’t want be involved, totally, I understand.’ "
Said Pullman, 29, of Cruise, “Every one of the pilots has a story of him talking about what he thinks is great about them, what they can do with that quality. He teaches you, basically, howTom CruisebecameTom Cruise.”
Top Gun: Maverickflies into theaters May 27.
Carita Rizzo
source: people.com
