Paramount has released some new images from the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick. We're introduced to the young pilots who will be in a special training. Additionally, director Joseph Kosinski gives fans some information about the highly anticipated sequel's story, along with the current relationship between Tom Cruise's Maverick and Val Kilmer's Iceman. Kilmer shot his parts for the movie a while back, but it's unclear how large of a role he'll have in the final cut.

In the first installment, "the pilots were entering the Top Gun school for the first time," says Joseph Kosinski. In Top Gun: Maverick, the pilots are all "graduates who are coming back for a special training detachment... They're at a different level of experience than in the first film." This brings in a new aspect to the sequel, that should be far different from the rookies we saw in the first movie. These are more experienced pilots who are able to push the envelope in ways Maverick and Goose couldn't in the original movie.

As for Val Kilmer's Iceman returning in Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kolinski was able talk about wanting the relationship with Tom Cruise's Maverick to be explored further. "The rivalry and relationship between Iceman and Maverick is one of those things that makes that first film so iconic," he says. "It's a relationship that is important to the Top Gun franchise and as a fan I would want to see how it's evolved." How their relationship has evolved has not been revealed as of yet, but there are rumors suggesting that the Iceman character will be killed off. However, that has not been confirmed. Kilmer has not been shown in any of the sequel's promotional material.

Top Gun: Maverick features another relationship rooted in the past. Miles Teller plays Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, the son of Goose, and the relationship between Maverick and Rooster is one of the driving forces in the sequel's storyline. "The relationship between Maverick and Rooster really forms the emotional core and spine of the film," Joseph Kosinski says. "It was really one the key reasons Tom felt like that now this is the time to go back and do this." This aspect is something that has been teased in all of the promotional material released thus far.

As for the aerial stunts in Top Gun: Maverick, we've seen a video showing what the cast went through to get the realistic look. As it turns out, the cast were all thrown in the real jets with experienced stunt pilots, going through a course that Tom Cruise designed himself. Cruise is an experienced pilot and wanted to make sure the sequel looked as realistic as possible without the use of CGI. From the looks of things, he accomplished his goal. You can check out the new images from the movie below, thanks to Entertainment Weekly.

A new class of aviators take flight in #TopGun: Maverick. @Miles_Teller is Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw in #TopGun: Maverick. See the movie in theatres June 26. pic.twitter.com/cOCvz76WEc — Top Gun (@TopGunMovie) January 29, 2020

Monica Barbaro soars as “Phoenix” in #TopGun: Maverick, coming to theatres June 26. pic.twitter.com/r8XlKhOeXE — Top Gun (@TopGunMovie) January 29, 2020

Watch out for @JayREllis as “Payback” in #TopGun: Maverick. See it in theatres June 26. pic.twitter.com/yYt85qVyal — Top Gun (@TopGunMovie) January 29, 2020

Lewis Pullman boards #TopGun: Maverick as “Bob” - In theatres June 26. pic.twitter.com/dQOrXeNgiq — Top Gun (@TopGunMovie) January 29, 2020