Top Gun movie trivia

quote:

---

- Val Kilmer did not want to be in this film, but was forced to by contractual obligations.

- The real Top Gun School gives a $5 fine to anyone in the staff that quotes the movie.

- Director Tony Scott was officially fired three times during production.

- Tom Cruise actually had to wear lifts in his scenes with Kelly McGillis. Cruise is 5'7" while McGillis is 5'10"

- The film was inspired by an article in the May 1983 issue of "California" magazine about the U.S. Navy's Top Gun School.

- Anthony Edwards is the only actor who didn't vomit while in the fighter jets.

- The motorcycle ridden by Tom Cruise in the movie is a Kawasaki Ninja 900 / GPz900R, then the fastest production motorcycle in the world.

- When the film was first released on VHS, it included a fighter pilot-themed Diet Pepsi commercial prior to the film.

- The F-14 pilot that "flipped the bird" at the MiG pilot was Scott Altman of VF-51, who eventually became a NASA astronaut flying as pilot on two missions and as commander on two more missions.

- A script for "Top Gun 2" was completed shortly after the release of the film, but it broke down in pre-production because 1) the military's technology had become updated and they didn't want camera crew anywhere near their new aircraft and 2) Tom Cruise did not want a sequel and finally agreed to star in one for a very high amount that was deemed "unaffordable." The script followed the further adventures of Maverick as an instructor at the Top Gun academy, the twist being a cocky female reminiscent of himself joining the team.

---