The biggest movie of the year is far and away Top Gun: Maverick. One reason for its success was due to all the fans eager to see Tom Cruise return to his signature role. But another big reason millions flocked to see the film in the theaters was its amazing aerial photography. Director Joseph Kosinski utilized cutting-edge technology, capturing shots never seen before. Nerdist has the exclusive first look at a behind-the-scenes featurette showing how they got such impressive aerial shots.
As you can see in the featurette, which is available as part of the digital release’s special features, attaching 6K cameras in several spots on fighter planes was anything but a walk in the park. But Tom Cruise, who not only returned in the title role but also produced Top Gun, was committed to making it happen practically. As the film’s directors bluntly stated, “getting a camera in a Navy F-18 is a lot harder than it sounds. Getting six cameras in there is almost impossible.”
The filmmakers worked with the Navy for a year to design a series of new cameras that could do the job. And they were able to capture shots from angles they could never have even thought of doing back in 1986. Not only that, they had to make sure the cameras didn’t harm the pilots in case of a mishap. Ultimately, the final amazing results speak for themselves.
The return of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell absolutely demolished the box office this summer. And not just for 2022, but just in terms of the all-time box office in general. The Joseph Kosinski-directed sequel to the ’80s classic just became the 6th biggest box office grosser of all time, passing Avengers: Infinity War. And it’s still packing ’em in theaters, months after release. And the incredible aerial photography was a big reason why this one was simply a can’t-miss event.
Top Gun: Maverick arrives on digital release on August 23.