As we enter the final countdown before the theatrical launch of "Top Gun: Maverick" on May 27, 2022, Paramount Pictures has finally released a trailer that offers some hints about the movie's actual story.
Previously, we've seen some spectacular air action sequences and flashes of both familiar and new faces. Now it's time to get down to business. Check out what's likely to be the final trailer for "Top Gun: Maverick" below.
We learn quite a few things from the trailer. Goose's son, Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw (Miles Teller), has a swagger that's closer to a young Maverick than it is to his dad -- and also quite the impressive 1970s porn stache. "Hangman" (Glen Powell) still hasn't revealed his civilian name to us, but he seems to be the modern-day Iceman in this crew.
Phoenix (Monica Barbaro) speaks for the arrogant young team when she declares that, "We're the best there is," so "Who the hell are they going to get to teach us?" If you've been paying attention for the past four decades, you already know the answer to that question.
That doesn't mean that commanding officer "Cyclone" (Jon Hamm) is happy that Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell has been sent to work with a new generation of aviators. "Let me be perfectly blunt. You were not my first choice," says Cyclone. "You're here at the request of Admiral Kazansky, aka 'Iceman.' He seems to think you have something left to offer the Navy. What that is, I can't imagine."
Maverick seems amused by the "aka 'Iceman'" bit, because he smirks at Cyclone and announces, "With all due respect, sir, I'm not a teacher. I just want to manage expectations." We next see Maverick announce himself to his charges in the most obnoxious way possible and make the creaky (but truly necessary) "this is your captain speaking" joke.
There's some mysterious military conflict that arises, and the team has to go into combat. Since this is a movie, you can bet that Maverick will be tagging along. Where will they be engaged? Will it be Taiwan, Ukraine, the U.S. Canadian border? The trailer's not giving away that part of the plot, but at least we know for sure that we'll get the kind of international crisis that requires Navy aviators to step up and find a solution.
Of course, Rooster blames Maverick for his dad's demise. "My dad believed in you. I'm not going to make the same mistake," the young aviator barks at the old man. Will the two flyers work it out or at least arrive at some level of grudging respect? Or will someone have to go down in flames? So many questions, so many weeks to wait for an answer.
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