Original Top Gun Star Offers His Review of Maverick: “Mission Accomplished”

The death of Anthony Edwards’ “Goose” in the original Top Gun is one of the most memorable and tragic deaths of ’80s cinema, so while he wasn’t able to appear in Top Gun: Maverick, his legacy continued through his on-screen son with Miles Teller’s “Rooster.” Despite not having any involvement in the new movie directly, Edwards did get a chance to see the movie ahead of its official premiere, with the actor recently praising its accomplishments and saying it was surely “mission accomplished” for star Tom Cruise and the rest of the filmmaking team. Top Gun: Maverick is currently playing in theaters.

“With something that successful, people had a certain feeling at the original one, and [the sequel] does exactly what it felt like seeing the first time, only more,” Edwards shared with Entertainment Tonight. “So, as I said to Tom, mission accomplished. That’s a lot of work that went into that, but it had the feel and it had the tone. It had what people wanted.”

The actor also joked, “It’s the biggest movie that I’m in that I never had to show up for a day of work.”

While he might not have had to shoot any scenes for the film, Edwards’ character played a pivotal role in the overall narrative. With the film focusing on Cruise’s “Maverick” returning to Top Gun to teach new recruits, one of those recruits is Rooster, who has animosity towards his father’s friend. The narrative would go on to reveal details about that animosity, and puts that relationship to the test by motivating the characters in different ways.

Teller previously revealed the ways in which he attempted to honor the legacy of Goose, while also addressing the responsibility that comes with such a role.

“I think I’d seen it enough,” Teller shared with ComicBook.com. “I knew what Goose represented and that people talk about Goose today. And Anthony, that character will stick with him forever. It’s such a popular character in such a positive way. Everybody wants a Goose, everyone could use a Goose in their lives. So, I tried to carry that for sure.”

Top Gun: Maverick is currently playing in theaters. No word has emerged about whether this movie has opened the door for more sequels.

What did you think of how the film handled the character? Let us know in the comments!