Las Vegas - (AFP) - From a biplane flying over South Africa, American star Tom Cruise Thursday revealed details of "Top Gun: Maverick", the sequel to the famous "Top Gun" movie in which the actor appeared in 1986.

The sequel to "Top Gun" again deals with the story of the American elite pilot, Maverick, who embodies Tom Cruise, nearly 30 years after the original film. The new version was originally scheduled to be released in 2020, but the date was postponed more than once due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cruz, 59, explained the details of his film via video to the participants at the "Cinema Con" forum for cinema owners held in Las Vegas, and he addressed them from the air. The actor, known for his ability to perform a large number of stunts himself, appeared in the video inside a plane flying over South Africa.

"Hi everyone. Nice to meet you in person. Sorry for the noise," he said loudly, as the plane's engine roared and the wind whistled.
"As you can see, we're filming the final episode of Mission: Impossible," he joked.

"Tom does everything at top speed, all the time... and he can't be stopped," commented Top Gun primary and new producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who was also in the room in Las Vegas.

The plot and details of "Top Gun: Maverick" will remain under wraps until its official premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month, but the film was met with an instant thumbs up on social media from journalists who attended the screening at the invitation of Paramount Studios.

The new part adopted the same recipe that made the original movie its great success, and consisted of an intense amount of action scenes that were filmed in real US Navy fighters. The film includes a large number of scenes that remind of the original tape.

Although 1986 director Tony Scott died in 2012, his successor, Joseph Kosinski, managed to find "a way to get Tom interested" after watching YouTube videos that Navy pilots shot in the air with GoPro cameras during their training flights.

"I showed it to Tom and he said 'It's available for free on the internet...'" Joseph Kosinski recounted. "And if we can't do a better job, no need to bother making it + so he agreed!"

With the help of Navy flight engineers, the film crew actually succeeded in placing no fewer than six cameras in the cockpits of the jets used for filming.

The original film was inspired by the elite pilot training program known as "Top Gun", which takes place at a military base in San Diego, California, which is now closed.
The former Top Gun was so successful that recruiting officers poured in applications for membership, from young men who wanted to follow in the footsteps of Maverick and his comrades.
The film crew did not receive "much support from the Navy" during the filming of the main film, according to Joseph Kosinski, but the matter was different for the film. "When we called the Navy, the doors opened wide, and we were told, 'Come and tell us what you need'," he said.

For example, the crew of the sequel was allowed access to the high-security China Lake Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert, according to the director.
Top Gun: Maverick also saw the return of Val Kilmer, who in the original movie played rival Iceman. Kilmer had a very impressive appearance in the film, as the actor lost the ability to use his voice due to undergoing treatment for throat cancer.
Jerry Bruckheimer said that "Vall felt good" to be in the film. "The filming was very moving," he added.
The producer opined that Kilmer "continues to be a terrific actor, a terrific individual." Bruckheimer quoted Cruz as saying, "I wouldn't do this movie unless Val was in it."