Top Gun 2: Maverick’s New Love Interest Was Teased In The First Movie

Maverick’s (Tom Cruise) new love interest in Top Gun: Maverick, Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly) was teased in the original 1986 Tony Scott film.

Maverick’s new love interest in Top Gun: Maverick was teased in the original Top Gun film. Tom Cruise is reprising one of his most iconic roles as Pete “Maverick’ Mitchell in the upcoming Joseph Kosinski-directed sequel. Top Gun: Maverick is more than 30 years in the making, but while it seems like Maverick has barely made any big changes in his life, he does have a new romantic partner in the movie, Penny Benjamin, played by Jeniffer Connelly. 

As the titular character of the film, Top Gun: Maverick will focus on Maverick as he re-evaluates how his life has turned out since training at TOPGUN. Suspiciously stuck as a Navy captain despite having the skills to climb further up the professional ladder, Maverick is tasked to train a new crop of pilots for a special mission. The fresh batch includes Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of his late RIO, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), who isn’t subtle about letting Maverick knows that he doesn’t trust him. Luckily for the daredevil pilot, he gets some emotional support from his new lady. 

Related: Top Gun 2: Maverick’s Captain Role Can Explain Charlie’s Absence

Seeing Maverick with Penny in Top Gun: Maverick may be disappointing for those who were rooting for him and Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood (Kelly McGillis). At the end of Top Gun, Maverick and Charlie got back together, giving the impression that the couple was in for the long haul. So, it’s surprising to see Maverick with a new love interest. That said, Penny Benjamin isn’t exactly a new character; she was previously teased in the original film. In Top Gun, Penny was referenced in passing as the daughter of an admiral. Now, Top Gun: Maverick is officially debuting her as a bar owner and Maverick’s current love interest. Not much has been revealed about her or her relationship with Navy Captain, but as seen in the Top Gun: Maverick trailers, it appears as if she has been a voice of reason for Maverick.

Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick is heavily impacted by what happened in Tony Scott’s 1986 film despite not bringing a lot of the original Top Gun cast back. Aside from Maverick, only Val Kilmer’s Tom “Iceman” Kazansky will be appearing in the follow-up, but Goose and his death will be an integral part of its storytelling. While Top Gun: Maverick is expected to reveal the reason behind Rooster’s anger at his dad’s old flying partner, it’s curious if the sequel will also explain why Maverick and Charlie broke up. Whatever it was, it’s integral that gets revealed in the new film. From there, Top Gun: Maverick can set up Penny’s entry into Maverick’s life as someone who was orbiting the same spaces in San Diego, being Top Gun‘s referenced admiral daughter. 

For what it’s worth, Maverick dating Penny hints that over the last three decades, he has remained close to TOPGUN. Only he from his old batch seems to have stuck around; Iceman has moved up the Navy Force ladder and is now a Vice Admiral. Meanwhile, despite his skills and capabilities, Maverick remains a Captain in Top Gun: Maverick, which seems intentional on his part. 

More: Top Gun: Maverick Review – A Sequel Better Than An Already Iconic Original

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