- Ridley Scott feels disappointed by Top Gun: Maverick and believes it cannot top the original directed by his late brother.
- Scott’s opinion contrasts Jerry Bruckheimer’s statement last year in which he said Ridley was laudatory in his praise for the film.
- Despite his disappointment, Scott acknowledges the effort put into the sequel to honor his brother’s work.
Director Fede Álvarez recently disclosed in the DGA Latino Summit that Ridley Scott had a lackluster response to Top Gun: Maverick, calling it ‘meh.’ Being the sequel to Ridley’s late brother Tony Scott’s original Top Gun, Ridley reportedly respected the film, but it did not leave a strong impression on him. This goes against the previous statement from Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who recalled Ridley’s praise for the film and acknowledged how it honored Tony’s work.
It seems that even though Top Gun: Maverick was successful at the box office and praised by critics, the sequel, starring Tom Cruise, did not impress Ridley Scott. Despite Ridley’s opinion, he still acknowledged the care and effort taken in making the film while trying to honor his late brother’s work.
On another note, The Sopranos star Rob Iler has also criticized the Top Gun sequel, claiming that it has “ruined the whole movie industry.” Regardless of the criticisms, Ridley Scott’s next film, Napoleon, will star Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby as Empress Joséphine. Scheduled for release on November 22, 2023, the movie will be available on Apple TV+ after its theatrical release.