Top Gun: Maverick's Jerry Bruckheimer Shares How Tom Cruise Stays In Such Incredible Shape: ‘Tom Does Everything At Full Speed All The Time'

Out of all the upcoming Tom Cruise movies currently on the tarmac, Top Gun: Maverick could be the most anticipated. Almost 40 years after Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell first felt the need for speed, the legendary aviator is returning to train a new series of recruits for modern warfare in the Danger Zone. Anyone who knows Cruise personally knows that this description could fit the actor behind the role, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed yet again that it’s this energy that keeps his star in such incredible shape even at 59 -- and, yes, even for shirtless beach scenes. 

While speaking at the Top Gun: Maverick luncheon at this year’s CinemaCon, the legacy-quel had its fair share of stories to be told. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer spoke to Cruise’s insistence that Val Kilmer be in the sequel, showing the man’s dedication on a personal level. As CinemaBlend was in attendance of that event, Bruckheimer even shared tales of Tom Cruise’s work at staying fit for the grueling road ahead; starting with the following praise: 

Tom does everything at full speed all the time. To the best of his ability and beyond. You can’t stop him. He’s just going to do it no matter what. But what’s so interesting about him is, everything he’s done with real caution because he’s so prepared. He’ll spend months preparing for stuff that will maybe be on the screen for 30 seconds.