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HOLLYWOOD & ENTERTAINMENTDirector Joseph Kosinski’s ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Journey And Being In The Room For The Emotional Tom Cruise-Val Kilmer ReunionSimon ThompsonContributorSimon is a producer (TV & Digital) and film & entertainment journalistAug 25, 2022,01:29pm EDT'Top Gun: Maverick' director Joseph Kosinski poses[+]COPYRIGHT 2022 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

So what is the secret to Top Gun: Maverick breaking box office records and grossing over $1.4 billion at the box office so far?

"There is no secret," explained director Joseph Kosinski as we discussed the acclaimed sequel that has been right on target to give Tom Cruise the biggest film of his career.

While the action drama continues to put butts in seats in theaters, Top Gun: Maverick touched down on Digital so audiences can watch, or rewatch, the smash hit in the comfort of their own home.

I caught up with the filmmaker to break down the film's runaway success, how and why Cruise continued to be part of the creative process long after shooting wrapped, and what it was like being in the room for the emotional onscreen reunion of Cruise and Val Kilmer.

Simon Thompson: Top Gun: Maverick not only turned out to be arguably the best film of the year, but it has also defied all the odds at the box office. How many executives have asked you for your secret?

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Joseph Kosinski: There is no secret. It was a lot of hard work by an incredibly talented group of people. It was the right story with the right cast and crew at the right time. We were very lucky and fortunate that people went back to the movies to see our film and, in many cases, went back again and again. It's just been gratifying for me to hear those stories about people falling in love with going to the movies again because there were a couple of years there where we wondered if it was going to come back, but I think it has, and it's just been a great summer for movies.

Thompson: Top Gun: Maverick has hit Mach 10.1 at the box office making over $1 billion and having weekly grosses go up at times. There have been movies starring big names who haven't even managed to open as expected, let alone hold firm for a second week. Here you are; your film is still going strong months after it debuted.

Kosinski: This is how movies used to play in the 80s. Jerry Bruckheimer would tell me stories about Beverly Hills Cop or Flashdance or the original Top Gun, where it would just sit in theaters all summer long. It just seemed like that didn't happen anymore, so to have that happen with another Top Gun film with Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer, working with them, and seeing this happen has been pretty phenomenal.