Top Gun 2 is still aiming for lift off, said Jerry Bruckheimer today. “For 30 years we’ve been trying to make a sequel and we’re not going to stop. We still want to do it with Tom [Cruise] and Paramount are still interested in making it,” the producer said Sunday at the Produced By 
conference. “What Tom tells me is that no matter where he goes in the world, people refer to him as Maverick,” added Bruckheimer of Tom Cruise who starred as the rebel fighter jet pilot in the original 1986 movie. “It’s something he is excited about so as long as he keeps his enthusiasm hopefully we’ll get it made,” Bruckheimer said about the sequel and its star. Bruckheimer noted that the death of original Top Gun director Tony Scott last August did put a pause on the project.
In a wide-ranging discussion with Deadline’s Pete Hammond at the PGA event, the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise and this summer’s Lone Ranger producer also revealed that star Johnny Depp often travels with his Captain Jack Sparrow costume and visits children’s hospitals unannounced. “He knows he is a very fortunate person and he wants to give back,” Bruckheimer said. Praising the actor and others, Bruckheimer said the success of his films over the decades, both with partner Don Simpson and on his own, is “always about the talent… our company worships talent.”
Related: ‘The Lone Ranger’ Sets February 6 Start Date; Giddyap!
Bruckheimer said that while he hopes that Lone Ranger becomes a franchise with Depp and Armie Hammer, nothing has been decided yet. “It’s always up to the audience. If the audience likes the movie then Disney will come to me and we’ll make another or it will be a one-off,” he said about the nature of the “gambling business” of movies. On the other hand, critics do not seem to be that much of a worry to Bruckheimer. “Critics who loved My Dinner With Andre will not love The Lone Ranger but hopefully there are enough critics out there that have popular tastes,” he joked.
Recent Comments
What wasn’t a joke to the big budget producer was the jam-packed marketplace Lone Ranger is entering into this season. “It’s very hard this summer,” Bruckheimer noted of the plethora of blockbusters coming out. “This summer everyone is cannibalizing the audience,” the producer added “You have to hold your seats, it’s not the number of theaters but the number of seats. [Man Of Steel] is coming out this week and then next week another blockbuster will come out, if there is another blockbuster, and Superman will move to small theaters and someone else will get their seats,” Bruckheimer said of Warner Bros’ upcoming Man Of Steel. He noted that Warner Bros and Legendary’s Pacific Rim is coming out the week after Lone Ranger debuts on the July 4 weekend and that worries him.
Related: Wall Street Analyst’s Studio-By-Studio Summer 2013 Movie Predictions
In almost the same breath, Bruckheimer said Sunday that a lot of movies coming out at the same time can be a good thing. “I root for my competition to be successful because it increases the audience’s appetite for watching movies,” he added, noting that, in today’s environment of so much good TV and other platforms, movies have to work hard to get people out of their homes.
So looking forward to seeing The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp and can’t wait for another POC also with Johnny Depp. His movies are just great, he’s probably the best actor of his generation and such a pleasure to watch.
“If the audience likes the movie then Disney will come to me and we’ll make another or it will be a one off.”
Sorry Kemosabe but Lone Ranger is going to be a write off the same as John Carter. You spent a fortune to make it and Disney will be lucky to break even. They might make a small profit but not enough to do a sequel. Depp looks ridiculous with his crazy hat and white face makeup and you should have told him he looks ridiculous.
Excuse me how do you know The Lone Ranger movie will be a bust. Have you seen it? If not then you don’t a have a real right to predict gloom and doom about a film you probably haven’t seen yet. Interesting that you insert Taylor Kitsch into this equation. Stand him next to Johnny Depp and he as big as a green pea. The new Lone Ranger is going to be a success for these four reasons. One it is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer who has had a string hit films and television shows and two the movie was directed and written by Gore Verbinski. Thirdly it has major hitter Johnny Depp which add much weight to the film. Fourthly it has an up and coming who is playing the Lone Ranger. Just like Tobey Mcguire in first three Spiderman movies. He has had some acting credits then Spiderman came along and propelled him to stardom. Though, I will take Armie Hammer over Tobey McGuire anyday. Finally it has great assemble of character actors. Tom Wilkinson, Helena Bonham Carter, Barry Pepper, William Fichtner.
I will finish with this off with the bad comparison you initiated between John Carter in and The Lone Ranger. The latter is much more known to millions of people. Kemosabe has a well established history. Whereas John Carter is does have that going for science fictional character. I never heard of him until the movie came out. John Carter was dry and boring. It didn’t have a great set actors in the movie only mediocre.
I hope when The Lone Ranger comes out on July 3rd that you were wrong and should not taken seriously again ever again.
“…revealed that star Johnny Depp often travels with his Captain Jack Sparrow costume and visits children’s hospitals unannounced. “He knows he is a very fortunate person and he wants to give back,” Bruckheimer said.”
I’ve always read that Johnny Depp is one of the nicest stars out there. I’ve also heard the same goes for Keanu Reeves.
“I root for my competition to be successful because it increases the audience’s appetite for watching movies,”
True. Now if they can just get those movies to cost a lot less, then profitability will be even better. It does absolutely no good for a film to cost 150-200 million plus marketing, make 400 million worldwide and after everyone gets their cut (theaters and major participants, forget point holders) only to end up with a small profit, if any at all.
I dunno I wouldn’t mess with Top Gun that really could go either way — yikes. The movie was awesome bck ln the day. Now ? Hasn’t held up well. Though Cruise is still dynamic in that pictute it’s just one of those would not advise to remake – the story doesn’t lend itself to it. Besides do the filmakers really want to supply more Broll to gay bars for their Sunday drinks fests that play up the homoeroticism? Comedy and the vein many young generations now see it though that lens. I’d do done serious studying of the movie going public first. Folks calling Cruise Maverick in India isn’t a reason to remake an 80s classic – I don’t think that’s happening in the US. I heard him called Jerry once lol.
Top Gun II will follow the same old recipe, Young Maverick is now Old Maverick and an instructor at Top Gun. Young upstart pilot is determined to out-do Old Maverick…..competition ensues, then war breaks out, they team up and kill the N. Koreans. Seen it a couple times before.
Old Maverick teaches young Maverick the ropes until young Mav gets himself into enuf trouble to have old Mav save him. Too simple? NOPE. Count ALL OF US IN! Watch Nostalgia break the sound barrier baby!
Eat more popcorn!
it will make 262 domestic and another 512 foreign. Its a hit and the sequel deal will be closed by mid August. Kids love Captain Jack , Kids will love Tonto
Army Hammer , is a star , and he has met the right person , Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerry knows the game , and is generally ahead of the curve.