Like father, like son. In one of the most memorable scenes from 1986’s Top Gun, Maverick (Tom Cruise) joined his friend Groose (Anthony Edwards) in singing Jerry Lee Lewis’s Great Balls of Fire during one of their moments of leisure in the bar of the military air base. And in an exercise in nostalgia and a nod to the original, Top Gun: Maverick also pays homage to that scene, but this time with Groose’s son “Rooster” (Miles Teller) at the piano and also providing vocals.
However, in the final cut released in cinemas, we didn’t see the whole scene. To remedy this, Paramount Pictures has released a video of Miles Teller’s full performance, which, of course, includes previously unreleased footage.
It has been the extra bonus and gift from the production company to the fans, surely wanting to thank the fact that this second instalment has become, with its 409.3 million dollars collected so far in North American cinemas, the highest grossing film in the United States, surpassing the 399.6 million dollars of a Marvel production such as Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness.
Combining classic tracks with new ones, the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack itself has also become a top seller there since it was released on 27 May. It debuted in the top ten of the famous Billboard 200 chart and still holds the number 17 position. Among the soundtrack’s tracks are new original songs by Lady Gaga, Hold My Hand, and OneRepublic, I Ain’t Worried, as well as instrumental music composed by Hans Zimmer. And among the classics, of course, it includes the version of Great Balls of Fire sung live by Teller.
Lucía Domínguez
