By .
Val Kilmer is making a “Top Gun” comeback, thanks to Tom Cruise.
In a new interview with People, producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed that Cruise made a strong push to have Kilmer return for the sequel “Top Gun: Maverick”.
RELATED: Val Kilmer Didn’t Want To Do ‘Top Gun’, Found Playing Batman To Be ‘Isolating’
“[Tom Cruise] said, ‘We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,’” Bruckheimer said. “And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he’s going to make another ‘Top Gun’, Val had to be in it.”
The producer added of Kilmer, “He’s such a fine actor, and he’s such a good individual. We had such a good time on the first one and wanted to bring some of the gang back together again…It was a really emotional experience for all of us. It was a long time getting there but we did.”
RELATED: Tom Cruise Talks Intense ‘Top Gun’ Training, Insane ‘Mission: Impossible’ Motorcycle Stunt
Kilmer’s son Jack also talked about his dad’s return to the role, telling the magazine, “They honour the legacy of Iceman, and he was so stoked by it.”
In the recent documentary “Val”, Kilmer shares an intimate look at his battle with throat cancer, which permanently damaged his speaking voice.