Maverick And Rooster's Relationship Wasn't In Top Gun: Maverick's Initial Script

To bring Tom Cruise on board for the sequel, the "Tron: Legacy" director realized the "Top Gun: Maverick" needed an "emotional hook" that captivated the star. A month after his initial chat with Collider, Kosinski expressed to Deadline that Cruise was hesitant to return to the world of "Top Gun," especially after the passing of original film director Tony Scott.

Continuing his conversation with Collider, Kosinski detailed just how important it was to convince Cruise that Rooster and Maverick had to be at the center of the sequel to make it work. "And the first thing I pitched to him was the Rooster story," the director said. "That this reconciliation between these two characters set against a mission that would take both of them across enemy lines where they'd have to come together and fight their way back as a team, just like he and Goose were." 

It's hard to imagine "Top Gun: Maverick" being as successful as it is without Rooster and Maverick's relationship, which slowly evolves as the film progresses. In an interview with Cinema Blend, Rooster actor Miles Teller described his character's final moments with Maverick as "cathartic," a description that any fan of the sequel would agree with.