Val Kilmer will return for Top Gun 2

Val Kilmer took to his Facebook page this morning to confirm that he has been asked back for the long-gestating Top Gun 2, in which he will reprise the role of “Iceman.”

“I just got offered ‪Top Gun 2,” he writes. “Not often you get to say “yes” without reading the script… We will all miss Tony Scott one of the kindest gentlemen I’ve ever met in the film biz, but let’s fire up some fighter jets again!!!”

The Top Gun sequel, a follow-up to Tony Scott’s 1986 hit, has been in the works for quite some time with Tom Cruise interested in reprising his role as United States Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Scott was interested in returning to the director’s chair himself prior to his tragic passing.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer previously outlined that the film will deal with the rise of unmanned drones and pilots becoming a thing of the past.

“The concept is, basically, are the pilots obsolete because of drones? [Tom Cruise as Maverick] is going to show them that they’re not obsolete. They’re here to stay,” Bruckheimer said.

Screenwriter Justin Marks (The Jungle Book) penned the most recent draft of the script, following a draft by Peter Craig (The Town).