AlthoughRidley Scottcould have directedTop Gun’s sequel, the legendary director was right to turn downTop Gun: Maverick. ByTop Gun: Maverick’s ending, it was tough for viewers to remember just how long the gap between the original movie and its sequel was. The follow-up recaptured the tone of the original cult classic so successfully that it was like Maverick had never left, and viewers left the theater ready forTop Gun 3’s story. However, the production of the sequel was a long, difficult process behind the scenes, and Tony Scott’s untimely death was one reason for this.
Iceman’s Top Gun: Maverick Death Means Top Gun 3 Can Finally Use The 1986 Movie’s Cut Ending (But Better)
Although Top Gun’s original cut ending would never have worked, Top Gun 3 can revisit this scene thanks to Top Gun: Maverick’s Iceman death.
A unique action director with a distinct voice and an endlessly influential visual style, Scott was the younger brother ofGladiatordirector Ridley Scott.Scott wasTop Gun’s secret weapon, the mind behind the movie’s instantly recognizable blue and orange-hued aesthetic. A stylist ahead of his time, Scott brought this same propulsive, slick style to a string of classic action movies.Beverly Hills Cop II,The Last Boy Scout,True Romance,Crimson Tide,Enemy of the State, andMan on Fireall helped cement Scott’s status as one of the twentieth century’s most important action directors before his 2012 death.
Ridley Scott’s Top Gun: Maverick Would Have Been Very Different From Tony Scott’s Iconic Original
According to a recent interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Ridley Scott revealed he turned down the chance to directTop Gun: Maverickas he didn’t want to follow in his brother’s footsteps. This was a wise choice as, surprisingly,Ridley Scott’s directorial style isn’t that similar to the late, great Tony Scott’s unique vision. Ridley Scott himself noted this in the same interview, pointing out that his brother was less interested in fantasy and sci-fi and more concerned with contemporary stories. Ridley Scott cited some of his best-known movies, such asAlienandBlade Runner, as projects that weren’t Tony Scott’s preference.
The reasonTop Gun: Maverick’s story worked was that the sequel stuck with Tony Scott’s storytelling style and visual flair.
Scott was right to turn down the sequel, since a look back on the careers of both directors proves how divergent their equally successful visions were. The reasonTop Gun: Maverick’s story workedwas that the sequel stuck with Scott’s storytelling style and visual flair, but comparing Ridley Scott and Tony Scott movies from the same period proves they were always on different wavelengths.Thelma and Louiselooks, sounds, and feels nothing likeThe Last Boy Scout, although both classic movies were released in the same year. Similarly, 2004’sMan on Fireand 2007’sAmerican Gangsterhave little in common.
Top Gun: Maverick Was A Perfect Tony Scott Tribute
The Belated Sequel Owes Its Success To Borrowing Scott’s Style
Man on FireandAmerican Gangsterare technically both crime movies from the mid-’00s that center on morally ambiguous characters played by Denzel Washington, but the two Scott brothers' different directing styles ensure they feel nothing alike. Thus, there is no doubt that Ridley Scott would likely have done something totally different withTop Gun: Maverick, judging by his multi-decade career.Spiderheaddirector Joseph Kosinski’s decision to maintain most of Tony Scott’s stylistic choices was instrumental in the sequel’s success. As such,Top Gun’s sequelTop Gun: Maverickwas arguably saved byRidley Scottunderstandably turning down the project.
Top Gun 3’s release date has not yet been announced, but star Glen Powell mentioned that production could commence soon in mid-2024.
