Title: Top Gun 2: Why Tom Cruise Wasn't Allowed To Fly An F-18 Fighter Jet
Headings: Top Gun 2: Why Tom Cruise Wasn't Allowed To Fly An F-18 Fighter Jet
Top Gun 2: Why Tom Cruise Wasn't Allowed To Fly An F-18 Fighter Jet
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Content: Many Cruise fans will already be aware that many of the more impressive helicopter stunts in 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout were performed by Cruise. However, Bruckheimer maintains that the US Navy ultimately denied Cruise's requests to fly the Super Hornet, which boasts a price tag in excess of $70 million. Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view. Start now
Although Top Gun: Maverick does feature the F-18 jet, those scenes were all completed with the assistance of Navy pilots. According to Bruckheimer, Cruise does get to fly a P-51 propeller-driven fighter plane in addition to some helicopters, so with the help of some judicious editing, the aerial scenes should remain highly convincing. Bruckheimer has yet to divulge any specifics about why the Navy might have nixed Cruise's aspirations to pilot the Super Hornet. The most logical reason is insurance concerns, which is always enough to prevent actors from doing their own stunts. It's worth noting, however, that a real F-18 would constitute roughly half of Maverick 's $152 million budget, which would likely create some logistical nightmares when it comes to insuring the film, not to mention insuring Cruise himself, who, though a certified pilot, has little experience piloting supersonic military aircraft.