Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty; Paramount Pictures
Kurt Russellknew thatTop Gun: Maverickwas the film that movie theaters need to get out ofthe danger zone.
TheEscape From New Yorkstar and former pilot tellsEntertainment Weeklythat he personally sent a letter toTom Cruiseabout the high-flying sequel, which became a box office smash hit when it was released in May 2022.
"I actually sent Tom a note because I thought that this was the type of movie that we needed to try and get the movie business back on track, which it's been struggling to do ever since COVID," Russell explains. "People got out of the habit of going to watch something collectively and got used to watching things at home."
As a result, the 74-year-old says that streaming platforms have become "extremely popular," with "a lot of people from our business [pivoting] over to that" instead of the standard theatrical experience.
A sequel to the 1986 classicTop Gun,Maverickfollowed Cruise's Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell as he taught a group of young Navy pilots how to both conduct and survive a dangerous mission. The film also starred Glen Powell, Miles Teller, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, and more.
The Oscar-winning film was the summer smash hit that the box office needed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, raking in $1.48 billion globally and becoming the 15th highest-grossing film of all time. It would go on to become the second highest-grossing film of the year behindAvatar: the Way of Water.
Stefanie Keenan/Getty
In addition to its box office success,Maverickwas also nominated for six Academy Awards andtook home the trophy for Best Soundat the 2023Oscars. Anuntitled threequel is currently in development, with Kosinski in talks to return as its director.
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But, first, the filmmaker is directing Russell in Michelob ULTRA's new Super Bowl advertisement, which also happens to starMaverick's very own Pullman. Titled "The ULTRA Instructor," the clip blends football festivities with the upcoming Winter Olympics by having Russell transform subpar skier Greg (Pullman) into a serious slope shredder.
"We love watching the Super Bowl, and it's fun to watch the commercials too," Russellpreviously told EW about the advertisement. "I gotta say, on that day, they're very different…. They're a little bit like a mini movie. They're water cooler fare, and the next day it's fun to talk about them. So I looked at it as something like, 'Hey, let's go after this. Let's have some fun with this thing.'"
Watch "The ULTRA Instructor" above.
Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
