Few films have managed to do what Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick did. Even though Top Gun was released decades before the 2022 film came around, it managed to outshine the original’s success, not only earning an Academy Award nomination but also finding a timeless place in popular culture.
One of the main reasons for the project’s success was that it brought back actors who were key players in the 1986 film. With this, one cannot help but wonder why Meg Ryan wasn’t among them, even though it could have done a lot for both, the film, and her professional life.
During an interview, the director of the film, Joseph Kosinski, revealed the reason why some actors from the past weren’t brought back, and the answer is quite unfortunate for Ryan.
Meg Ryan Needed Top Gun: Maverick
Meg Ryan was America’s sweetheart. From When Harry Met Sally…, to Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and even Nicolas Cage’s City of Angels, the world knew of her. Being the first choice to play a relatable character, she dominated the 90s with her romance films.
With how much success she had in the palm of her hands and having worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, one cannot help but wonder what went wrong for the actress.
Despite being one of the most well-recognized figures in Hollywood, Ryan has not been in anything of note for many years now. Her past few projects have caused little conversation and have been completely ripped apart by critics. Considering this, the actress could have had the perfect opportunity to make her comeback and was unfortunately not given a chance.
Two years ago, one of Tom Cruise’s most successful films ever, Top Gun: Maverick, was released. Even though Ryan was quite an important character in the first film, she did not revive her role. What makes her absence in the film all the more frustrating is that it could have been the key that brought her to the forefront of media attention again.
Meg Ryan’s Carole Bradshaw Wasn’t Needed
The ratings of Top Gun: Maverick hit the roof, and the amount of positive conversation surrounding Tom Cruise’s film was almost overwhelming. With this in mind, fans cannot help but wonder why Meg Ryan’s character was simply killed off in the sequel, leaving no room for speculation about Carole Bradshaw.
Thankfully, in an interview with CinemaBlend, Joseph Kosinski revealed the reason several past characters weren’t brought back in the sequel.
Specifically talking about Bradshaw and Charlie Blackwood’s characters, he stated that they weren’t present in his version of the sequel. Although they are name-dropped and fans do get an answer about what their fates were, he did not wish to explore their stories more than that.
[Charlie and Carole were] not in the story that I worked on. Clearly, their spirits hang over the film in certain ways. There is a glimpse, as you guys know, of both of them in the film. But it was important that we wanted to make sure we were telling a new chapter of Maverick’s life. We didn’t want to be looking back the whole time.
This decision was very intentional, as Kosinski explained that he wanted the 2022 film to focus on a completely new chapter for Cruise’s character. The film did achieve the goal it set out to do, maintaining a perfect balance of new and older characters, as well as characters that had a connection to the original story.
However, the decision wasn’t the best for Ryan, who could have profited very well if she had been a part of the film.