Val Kilmer’s Iceman Return In Top Gun: Maverick Was The Biggest Reason The Movie Worked So Brilliantly

With his lone scene in Top Gun: Maverick, the late Val Kilmer stole the long-awaited sequel and justified the follow-up’s entire existence with one poignant exchange. By the time Top Gun: Maverick’s ending rolled around, it was clear that director Joseph Kosinski had achieved something that once seemed impossible. Not only had he made a worthy sequel to the original 1986 cult classic, but the director had managed to outdo Top Gun in every respect. By borrowing from original director Tony Scott’s playbook liberally, Kosinski gave viewers the perfect follow-up.