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Tom Cruise arrives in a helicopter for the world premiere of »Top Gun: Maverick« on the »USS Midway« in San Diego
Photo: Jordan Strauss / dpa
He fears neither death nor the devil: Hollywood star Tom Cruise did not drive up to the world premiere of »Top Gun: Maverick« in a limousine, not even on a bicycle.
Cruise opted for a helicopter.
The US actor landed on Wednesday (local time) on the US Navy's legendary aircraft carrier »USS Midway« in the port of San Diego, where the premiere of the film was celebrated.
In the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, Cruise reprises his role as former fighter pilot, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who is now a flight instructor.
The story of two fighter pilots trained at the US Navy's Elite School of Pilots grossed more than $350 million worldwide at the time.
Other later Hollywood greats such as Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins and Val Kilmer also appeared in supporting roles.
The original film meant a lot to his career, Cruise said.
Joining him at the premiere were Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm and Lewis Pullman.
Joseph Kosinski (»Oblivion«) directed the film.
The original was directed by director Tony Scott, who died in 2012.
Cruise is also expected at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May, where Top Gun: Maverick will be screened out of competition.
The action film will be in cinemas at the end of May.
The original film became the highest-grossing film of the year in 1986.
Long queues formed in front of the box office at the time – and the army became cool again for many people.
Recruitment boxes were installed in cinemas for the theatrical release, and the number of applicants for the Navy rose by a third.
To this day, military circles still speak of the »top gun« effect.
kha/dpa