Cruise came in hot to the premiere of the film's long-awaited sequel.
Tom Cruise made an epic landing onto the red carpet at the Top Gun: Maverick world premiere in San Diego Wednesday. The movie star arrived on the deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier via a helicopter.
Cruise stepped out of the chopper, which read "Tom Cruise. Top Gun: Maverick," on it and approached the droves of waiting photographers, reporters and fans, all itching to see the actor make his return as Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, 36 years later.
While Cruise wasn't wearing Maverick's signature flight suit, he did dress for the occasion, sporting a dark gray suit and tie and of course, a pair of aviator sunglasses.
Despite some early reports that Cruise himself was piloting the chopper, the actor spoke with ET's Nischelle Turner and confirmed that he wasn't behind the controls in this particular instance.
"No, not today. I do fly that helicopter, but not today," Cruise said with a laugh.
ET with Cruise's co-star, Jon Hamm, who plays Vice in the film, when Cruise made his magnificent entrance.
"I'm just glad he's going through the back of my shot, so that's perfect for me," Hamm joked. "You just gotta watch in awe."
"You don't get better than that" the Mad Men alum added.
The long-awaited follow-up to 1986's Top Gun hits theaters May 27, and it's a film Hamm said fans of the franchise are going to want to see in theaters.
"This is a movie that you want to see in theaters," Hamm shared. "It feels like a welcome back to the theaters, after a couple years of pause that we were all on. I think when people start seeing this in the theaters, and they see it big and loud, and they understand what kind of experience it is, they're gonna forget about the last two years and they're gonna start going back to theaters."
ET also spoke to Jennifer Connelly, who stars opposite Cruise as Penny Benjamin, about what she's learned from working with him on the film.
"Just witnessing it in person honestly," Connelly said of Cruise's work ethic. "I think that we have all witnessed his enthusiasms, and we all know about his bravery with stunts and his athleticism, and just getting to witness it in person was extraordinary."
Haven't seen the OG film? ET has you covered on how to watch the original Top Gun ahead of the highly anticipated sequel, which hits theaters May 27.
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