(KGTV) - Production has started on the sequel to the hit 1986 film “Top Gun," which propelled Tom Cruise into the movie star stratosphere.
The actor tweeted a photo of himself as his Pete “Maverick” Mitchell character from the film with the hashtag #Day1 to mark the first day of production on "Top Gun: Maverick."
Also on the photo are the words “feel the need” -- the phrase comes from Maverick’s line in the original film: “I feel the need, the need for speed.”
Cruise was spotted in San Diego Thursday, hopping back into the seat of a motorcycle and speeding down a landing strip, according to TMZ. The military base the actor appears to be at may be Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado.
#Day1 pic.twitter.com/7jjPL277Es
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) May 31, 2018
In an interview with Access Hollywood last year, Cruise said the sequel would have “the same tone from the first one …” and “stylistically it’s going to be the same.”
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Cruise also said the film's musical score would be the same as the first installment, orchestrated by composer Harold Faltermeyer.
As many San Diegans know, parts of the original "Top Gun" were shot in San Diego, but things have changed.
Kansas City Barbeque (600 Harbor Drive) has been rebuilt after burning down in 2008.
Also, the Oceanside home where Maverick's love interest Charlie lived received a facelift. After a few changes, volunteers restored the home's movie look in 2016.
Parts of the movie were also filmed in Bankers Hill and Point Loma.
While it remains to be seen if the “Top Gun” sequel will return to San Diego for filming, the Whidbey News Times newspaper in Washington reported that much of the film will be shot at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
According to the paper, the film's director, Joseph Kosinski, picked the location due to its "scenic beauty."
“Top Gun: Maverick” is scheduled to land in theaters on July 12, 2019.
