Joseph Kosinski credits the “old-school” nature of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ for the movie’s popularity.
The Tom Cruise-led sequel has grossed over $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office and Joseph believes the old-fashioned methods of the blockbuster have contributed to its phenomenal success.
Asked about the film’s superb performance, Joseph told The Hollywood Reporter: “Well, we made the film to be enjoyed on the big screen, in the best theatre you can find, and we finally were at a time where people felt comfortable going back to the theatre to rediscover that experience that we all missed for a couple of years. So I think that had a lot to do with it.
“The story also resonated with people. They got to see Tom come back to the role of Maverick after 35 years, and that was a real thrill for people. So we just wanted to make an old-school movie.”
The filmmaker continued: “We shot it in an old-school way with real high-tech gear, and I think people really felt all the effort that went into shooting a practical movie.
“The feedback I kept getting from people was that they were gripping the edge of their seat while watching this. So it’s one of those things where you really appreciate the power of practical filmmaking as you’re being told a story.”
Fans of the movie theorised that Cruise’s character Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell died during the film’s opening sequence and Joseph embraces the idea.
Kosinski explained: “Movies are meant to be interpreted in a variety of ways, and I love it when people read different meanings into it.
“So I love hearing that theory, and certainly, there’s a mythic kind of element to the story that I think lends itself to that sort of interpretation, based on who Maverick is and what he represents and the fact that he’s kind of going through this rite of passage at a different phase of his life.” (FilmNews)
