Tom Cruise Honors ‘Top Gun’ Co-Star Val Kilmer With Moment of Silence at CinemaCon: ‘I Wish You Well on the Next Journey’

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Tom Cruise paid tribute to his “Top Gun” co-star Val Kilmer, who died on Tuesday at the age of 65.

At CinemaCon, the yearly gathering of cinema owners, Cruise gathered to generate excitement for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” set to hit theaters this summer. However, before launching into his speech, he requested that everyone in the audience take a moment of silence in remembrance of Kilmer.

He expressed his deep admiration for his work, feeling both thankful and privileged when he joined ‘Top Gun’ and reprised his role in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. From the stage, Cruise mentioned how it would be a special moment to share together, as he knew he loved movies and gave so much to us all. He invited everyone to reminisce about the wonderful memories we shared with him.

Cruise concluded the moment of silence by saying, “I wish you well on the next journey.”

1986 saw the meeting of Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer on the set of “Top Gun,” a film where they portrayed Maverick and Iceman, initially adversarial characters who eventually forged an unlikely friendship at the U.S. Navy’s Fighter Weapons School. The movie “Top Gun” was an enormous box office hit, amassing $350 million worldwide – a record-breaking figure for that year, catapulting both actors to stardom in Hollywood.

In the year 2022, approximately four decades since the premiere of the initial movie, Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise starred together once more in “Top Gun: Maverick,” sharing a poignant scene that marked Kilmer’s final on-screen appearance. After being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, Kilmer found it difficult to speak; consequently, artificial intelligence was used to recreate his voice for the film. In this sequel, Iceman is depicted as battling terminal cancer, and Maverick seeks counsel from him as he contemplates whether or not to send trainee Rooster (Miles Teller) on a perilous mission. As Iceman types on his computer, “It’s time to let go,” he then speaks softly: “The Navy needs Maverick. The kid needs Maverick. That’s why I fought for you. That’s why you’re still here.

During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” following the movie’s premiere, Cruise admitted that he was deeply moved and emotional during filming of a particular scene. He shared, “Let me tell you, it was quite emotional. I’ve known Val for a long time.” He continued, “To see him return to play this character… he’s an incredibly talented actor who slipped back into the role effortlessly. You’re seeing Iceman right there.

The sequel to “Top Gun,” titled “Top Gun: Maverick,” has significantly outperformed its predecessor in both commercial success and critical recognition. It raked in over $1.4 billion globally and secured six Oscar nominations, one of which was for best picture. At present, plans are underway for a third installment of the Top Gun series.

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2025-04-03 21:16