Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

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Pete Mitchell
Mitchell as depicted in a poster for Top Gun: Maverick
First appearance
Last appearance
Created byJim Cash
Jack Epps Jr.
Portrayed byTom Cruise
In-universe information
AliasMaverick
Title
Occupation
Significant otherCharlotte "Charlie" Blackwood (ex-girlfriend)
Penelope "Penny" Benjamin (girlfriend)
Relatives
  • Duke Mitchell (father; deceased)
NationalityAmerican

Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Top Gun franchise. He is portrayed by Tom Cruise. The character first appeared in the 1986 film Top Gun, followed by Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.

Casting[edit]

Actor Matthew Modine turned down the role of Pete Mitchell because he felt the film's pro-military stance went against his politics.[1][2] The producers of Top Gun wanted Tom Cruise for the role after seeing him in Risky Business.[3] Cruise was offered the part while he was in London filming Legend, Cruise was reluctant to take the part but director Tony Scott's brother Ridley Scott convinced him to take the part.[4]

Cruise was paid between $12–14 million to reprise the role in Top Gun: Maverick,[5] which was revised to over $100 million after his share of the film's box office gross.[6]

Character biography[edit]

Mitchell was born to naval aviator Duke Mitchell who died in aerial combat on November 5, 1965, and an unidentified mother.[7]

Appearances[edit]

Top Gun (1986)[edit]

In the 1986 film Top Gun, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, portrayed by Tom Cruise, is a young and charismatic naval aviator with a distinctive appearance. He is often seen wearing a leather G-1 military flight jacket, white T-shirt, blue Levi Jeans, aviator sunglasses, and a flight suit, which adds to his iconic and rugged image as a fighter pilot. Maverick's appearance reflects the cool and rebellious nature of his character, making him one of the most recognizable figures in the film.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)[edit]

Thirty years after graduating from Top Gun and the events of the first Top Gun film, Mitchell is a decorated test pilot whose repeated insubordination has kept him from flag rank. His style of clothing is similar to the previous film with the addition of a Sage-green CWU-36/P zip-up flight jacket with styled collar. Maverick's friend and former Top Gun rival Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer), now Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT), has assigned Maverick to the Top Gun school at NAS North Island. Maverick reunites with former girlfriend Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly), to whom he reveals that he promised Rooster's dying mother that Rooster would not become a pilot.

Reception[edit]

With the release of Top Gun, the character has been credited as one of Cruise's most iconic roles and one of many that helped launch him into Hollywood stardom. Cruise's performance in Top Gun: Maverick received widespread critical acclaim, more so than the first film, with some reviewers saying it is one of the best of his career.[8] Tatsam Mukherjee of Firstpost wrote that Cruise "wants nothing less than our jaws on the floor. Proving that no amount of multiverse films or superstar cameos will replace the blood, sweat and adrenaline of an actor legitimately trying to push the boundaries of filmmaking. We can be rest assured that if it's a Tom Cruise film, he will not let us down."[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (July 7, 2020). "'Full Metal Jacket' star Matthew Modine explains why he turned down 'Top Gun,' 'Back to the Future': The actor has said no plenty of times — with good reason". Fox News. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  2. ^ Murphy, Tim (June 15–22, 2009). "154 Minutes With Matthew Modine". New York magazine. Archived from the original on January 5, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "'Top Gun' Turns 35: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer on Convincing Tom Cruise to Play Maverick". May 16, 2021.
  4. ^ "Tom Cruise reflects on landing his 'Top Gun' role as Maverick — exclusive clip". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  5. ^ Kroll, Justin; Lang, Brent (April 30, 2019). "Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and More 2019 Star Salaries Revealed". Variety. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Lang, Brent; Donnelly, Matt; Rubin, Rebecca (July 20, 2022). "Inside Movie Stars' Salaries: Joaquin Phoenix Nabs $20M for Joker 2, Tom Cruise Heads to Over $100M and More". Variety. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  7. ^ Maverick states this during the dinner date with Charlotte Blackwood
  8. ^ Campbell, Christopher (May 12, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick First Reviews: The Most Thrilling Blockbuster We've Gotten In Years". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022. In fact, many are even calling it a better movie than the original, and maybe even one of the best Tom Cruise movies of all time.
  9. ^ Tatsam Mukherjee (May 26, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick movie review — Supersonic sequel expands the myth of Tom Cruise". Firstpost. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
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