Pete "Maverick" Mitchell
| Pete Mitchell | |
|---|---|
| Top Gun character | |
 Tom Cruise as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell | |
| First appearance | Top Gun (1986) |
| Created by | Jim Cash Jack Epps Jr. |
| Portrayed by | Tom Cruise |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Maverick |
| Title |
|
| Occupation | |
| Significant other | Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood (ex-girlfriend) Penelope "Penny" Benjamin (girlfriend) Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (wingman) |
| Relatives |
|
| Nationality | American |
Peter "Maverick" Mitchell is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Top Gun franchise. He is portrayed by Tom Cruise. The character first appeared in the 1986 film Top Gun, followed by Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.
Casting
[edit]Actor Matthew Modine turned down the role of Pete Mitchell because he felt the film's pro-military stance went against his politics.[1][2] The producers of Top Gun wanted Tom Cruise for the role after seeing him in Risky Business.[3] He was offered the part while he was in London filming Legend, Cruise was reluctant to take the part but director Tony Scott's brother Ridley Scott convinced him to do so.[4]
Cruise was paid between $12–14 million to reprise the role in Top Gun: Maverick,[5] which was revised to over $100 million after his share of the film's box office gross.[6]
Character and background
[edit]Mitchell was born to naval aviator Duke Mitchell who died in aerial combat in Vietnam on November 5, 1965, and an unidentified mother.[7] Maverick carries a photograph of himself with his father in his wallet. His father flew with Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf (Tom Skerritt), and that Viper and Duke were aboard the USS Oriskany before seeing Duke's F-4 Phantom II shot down.[8]
Maverick is skilled in the use of a motorcycle, using a Kawasaki GPZ900R, also known as the Ninja 900.[9]
In the sequel, Maverick also knows how to mechanically maintain and operate a P-51 Mustang.
Decorations (from the movie Maverick)
[edit]Based on the movie pictures and images from the internet.
Rack 1 ---
- Silver Star Silver Star
Rack 2 ---
- Legion of Merit Legion of Merit
- Defence Meritorious Service Medal Legion of Merit
- Meritorious Service Medal Legion of Merit
Rack 3 ---
- Air Medal Air Medal
- Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal Commendation Medal - 5/16 inch star
- Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Rack 4 ---
- Combat Action Ribbon Combat Action Ribbon
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award Joint Meritorious Unit Award
- Navy E Ribbon Navy E Ribbon
Rack 5 ---
- National Defence Service Medal National Defence Service Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Southwest Asia Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal - 5/16 inch star
Rack 6 ---
- Afghanistan Campaign Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal - 5/16 inch star
- Iraq Campaign Medal Iraq Campaign Medal - 5/16 inch star
- GWOT Expeditionary Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Rack 7 ---
- GWOT Service Medal GWOT Service Medal
- Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
- United Nations Medal United Nations Medal
Rack 8 ---
- Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
- Rifle Marksmanship Medal - E Rifle Marksmanship Medal + Marksmanship Medal
- Pistol Marksmanship Medal - E Pistol Marksmanship Medal + Marksmanship Medal
Appearances
[edit]Top Gun
[edit]In the 1986 film Top Gun, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, portrayed by Tom Cruise, is a young and charismatic naval aviator with a distinctive appearance. Maverick and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Lieutenant Junior Grade Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, stationed in the Indian Ocean aboard USS Enterprise, fly the F-14A Tomcat were they meet the Top Gun Commanding Officer, Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf. Before the first day of instruction, Maverick unsuccessfully approaches a woman at a bar. He learns the next day she is an astrophysicist and civilian Top Gun instructor, Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood. She becomes interested in Maverick upon learning of his inverted maneuver with a MiG-28. However, privately she admires his flying; they begin a romantic relationship. Maverick’s rival is Lieutenant Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, calls his behavior "foolish," "dangerous," and worse than the enemy, to which Maverick responds, "I am dangerous." Maverick and Iceman, the leading contenders for the Top Gun Trophy, chase an A-4 in Hop 31. The F-14 flies through Iceman's jet wash and suffers a flameout of both engines, going into an unrecoverable flat spin. Maverick and Goose eject, but Goose slams into the jettisoned aircraft canopy and is killed by the impact. He is guilt-ridden and considers quitting before seeking advice from Viper who flew with Maverick’s father. He is eventually given the choice of any assignment, Maverick chooses to return to Top Gun as an instructor. He and Charlie reunite at a bar in Miramar. The song “You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'” plays over the credits.
He is often seen wearing a leather G-1 military flight jacket, white T-shirt, blue 501 Levi Jeans, with cowboy boots, aviator sunglasses, and a flight suit, which adds to his iconic and rugged image as a fighter pilot. Maverick's appearance reflects the cool and rebellious nature of his character, making him one of the most recognizable figures in the film.
Top Gun: Maverick
[edit]Thirty years after the events of the first film, Mitchell is a decorated test pilot whose repeated insubordination has kept him from flag rank. His style of clothing is similar to the previous film with the addition of a Sage-green CWU-36/P zip-up flight jacket with styled collar. Maverick's friend and former Top Gun rival Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer), now Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT), has assigned Maverick to the Top Gun school at NAS North Island. Maverick reunites with former girlfriend Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly), to whom he reveals that he promised Rooster's dying mother that Rooster would not become a pilot. Over the course of the film, Maverick shoots down two Su-57 enemy aircraft which, in addition to the three MiGs he shot down in the original, earn him the status of the US Navy's first F-14 flying ace.
In popular culture
[edit]The character was spoofed in the 1991 parody film Hot Shots!, in which the protagonist, Lieutenant Sean "Topper" Harley, played by Charlie Sheen, represents Maverick.[10]
US Navy pilot Dale Snodgrass was called "The Real Top Gun"[11] or the real "Maverick"[12][13]
Reception
[edit]With the release of Top Gun, the character has been credited as one of Cruise's most iconic roles and one of many that helped launch him into Hollywood stardom. Cruise's performance in Top Gun: Maverick received widespread critical acclaim, more so than the first film, with some reviewers saying it is one of the best of his career.[14] Taksam Mukherjee of Firstpost wrote that Cruise "wants nothing less than our jaws on the floor. Proving that no amount of multiverse films or superstar cameos will replace the blood, sweat and adrenaline of an actor legitimately trying to push the boundaries of filmmaking. We can be rest assured that if it's a Tom Cruise film, he will not let us down."[15]
Video games
[edit]Maverick is a central figure as an instructor at TOP GUN in Top Gun: Hard Lock, a combat flight simulator game, developed by Headstrong Games and published by 505 Games for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows in 2012.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (July 7, 2020). "'Full Metal Jacket' star Matthew Modine explains why he turned down 'Top Gun,' 'Back to the Future': The actor has said no plenty of times — with good reason". Fox News. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ Murphy, Tim (June 15–22, 2009). "154 Minutes With Matthew Modine". New York. Archived from the original on January 5, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "'Top Gun' Turns 35: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer on Convincing Tom Cruise to Play Maverick". May 16, 2021.
- ^ "Tom Cruise reflects on landing his 'Top Gun' role as Maverick — exclusive clip". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ Kroll, Justin; Lang, Brent (April 30, 2019). "Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and More 2019 Star Salaries Revealed". Variety. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ Lang, Brent; Donnelly, Matt; Rubin, Rebecca (July 20, 2022). "Inside Movie Stars' Salaries: Joaquin Phoenix Nabs $20M for Joker 2, Tom Cruise Heads to Over $100M and More". Variety. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ While on a dinner date with Charlotte Blackwood at her home, Maverick tells her the story and the death of his father.
- ^ Viper and Maverick discuss this while Maverick visits Viper’s house.
- ^ "Movie motorbikes: Top Gun". orwell. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ "Hot Shots: Why Top Gun's Best Parody Was So Successful". October 10, 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ Gary, Debbie. "The Real Top Gun". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ "A legend dies: Dale "Snort" Snodgrass has an accident". Austrian Wings. August 9, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- ^ "Tributes pour in for flying legend Dale 'Snort' Snodgrass after fatal crash Saturday at Lewiston airport". Spokesman.com. 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ Campbell, Christopher (May 12, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick First Reviews: The Most Thrilling Blockbuster We've Gotten In Years". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
In fact, many are even calling it a better movie than the original, and maybe even one of the best Tom Cruise movies of all time.
- ^ Tatsam Mukherjee (May 26, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick movie review — Supersonic sequel expands the myth of Tom Cruise". Firstpost. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "Top Gun: Hard Lock". Kokatu. 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Pete "Maverick" Mitchell at Wikimedia Commons
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