Tom Cruise turned up the excitement around the production of “Top Gun 2” on Wednesday with a confirmation on Australian TV that the film will go ahead.

Interviewed on the “Sunrise” show on Australia’s Seven Network, Cruise said that “filming will begin probably within the next next year.”

Asked by the presenter if rumors of the long awaited sequel were correct, Cruise said “its true,” before breaking into cackles and repeating himself several more time. “Its happening,” he added. “You’re the first people I’ve told. It’s going to happen.”

Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer and co-star Val Kilmer have drip fed information about the film for the past two years. In addition, David Ellison of Skydance confirmed script development in 2015, and teased a potential plot.

“It is very much a world we live in today where it’s drone technology and fifth generation fighters … It’s really exploring the end of an era of dogfighting and fighter pilots and what that culture is today,” Ellison said in June 2015.

Bruckheimer previously produced the 1986 military airplane action film that was one of the biggest steps towards making Cruise a superstar. Tony Scott directed the original which also starred Tim Robbins and Kelly McGillis.

Cruise most recently starred in the action sequel “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.” His next release will be a remake of “The Mummy,” directed by Alex Kurtzman.

Watch Cruise make the announcement in the video below: