Summary
Some people may not remember, but Tim Robbins was inTop Gun, though surprisingly, he didn’t return forTop Gun: Maverick. It’s hard to describe just how influentialTop Gunis in the action drama genre, but if thenumber of movies likeTop Gunthat came out after Tony Scott’s film is any indication, the movie continues to influence Hollywood decades later. Over 30 years after the original,Top Gun: Maverickcame out to worldwide acclaim and a massive box office, proving thattheTop Gunbrand was as powerful and sensational as ever.
Top Gunis packed with stars: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Michael Ironside, Meg Ryan, and Kelly McGillis to name a few, and eagle-eyed fans may spot Tim Robbins there as well. In 1986, Robbins was just getting his career started, playing supporting roles inToy SoldiersandHoward the Duck. It wasn’t until a few years later withThe Shawshank Redemption,Jacob’s Ladder, andThe Hudsucker Proxythat he would become a star, later starring in shows likeSilo,The Brink, andCastle Rock, yet he didn’t decide to reprise his role in thecast ofTop Gun: Maverick.
30 Best Top Gun Quotes
With Top Gun: Maverick making audiences feel the need for speed once again, now is a good time to look back on the best Top Gun quotes.
Tim Robbins Played Lt Sam “Merlin” Wells In Top Gun
Merlin Stepped In To Replace Goose After The Latter’s Death
Tim Robbins appears inTop Gunas Lt. Sam Wells, call sign “Merlin”. Merlin is a radar intercept officer who used to be assigned to Cougar (John Stockwell) until Cougar quit. Then,when Goose (Anthony Edwards) is killed, Merlin takes over his role, flying with Maverick (Cruise). Together, the pair shoot down three MiG-28s, working well despite having little history. Merlin’s story is not front and center like Maverick’s, but it’s a good mirror of the real conflict, allowing there to be slightly more stakes in the final battle as the audience now cares personally about both pilots.
Robbins makes sure his character is memorable and believable as a pilot but doesn’t try to steal the spotlight in any way.
Robbins does an excellent job playing Merlin, made even more impressive by the fact thatTop Gunwas only the sixth movie of his career. It’s a role that requires the actor to be happy taking the back seat in the relationship. Not only is Cruise clearly the star, but the radar intercept officer is there to support the other aviator. Robbins makes sure his character is memorable and believable as a pilot but never tries to steal the spotlight.
Tim Robbins and Tom Cruise would later reunite for a tense scene in Steven Spielberg’s 2005 movie,War of the Worlds.
Top Gun
Cast
In this classic action flick, Tom Cruise stars as daring young pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Among the other students at the United States Navy’s elite fighter weapons school, he competes to be best in the class, and learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.
Robbins Likely Didn’t Return To Top Gun: Maverick Because He Refuses To Do Sequels
Robbins Hates The Cynical Nature Of Sequel Films
WhenTop Gun: Maverickwas announced it was a bit of a surprise to learn that Robbins wasn’t in the cast. Besides Cruise,Val Kilmer signed on to return forTop Gun: Maverick, despite being diagnosed with throat cancer. Apparently, itwasn’t Robbins' problem withTop Gun: Maverickin particular as much asit was his problem with sequels in general. In 2008, the actor toldMTV,
“I don’t like sequels, so I don’t want to do sequels. [The studios] just figure name recognition will get you. It’s kinda cynical, actually. It’s manipulation.”
So it’s a principles thing for Robbins when it comes to sequels, one he has stuck to for decades. The cast and crew ofTop GunandTop Gun: Maverickmust know this because no one has publicly complained or even commented.Top Gun: Maverickis more about the next generation than the old anyway, but it would have been nice to see Merlin come in somewhere. Maybe he could have grabbed a beer with Maverick, or have been with him when Maverick met Penny (Connelly). It would’ve given Tim Robbins the chance to be Cruise’s wingman one more time.
Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 original film starring Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a top-tier pilot in the Navy. Thirty years after the original film’s events, Maverick is asked to head up a section of the TOP GUN program to embark on a dangerous mission. Things become personal when the program includes the son of Maverick’s late friend, forcing him to confront his past.
