"TOP GUN: MAVERICK" (2022)

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Based on Characters Created by

Jim Cash & Jack Epps, Jr.

Story by

Peter Craig and Justin Marks

Screenplay by

Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie

Paramount Pictures

FIGHTER JETS roll on the silhouetted deck as FLIGHT CREWS work their technical ballet. Men and women devoted to detail and duty, preparing their warriors for the arena. All the while, MUSIC builds over OPENING TITLES as jets LAUNCH into the sky, afterburners blazing, roaring like thunder...

A3 EXT. CARRIER ELEVATOR - DAWN A3

AN F-18 silhouetted against the morning sky, rising to the main deck. A HELMET edges into frame, bearing red white and blue stripes along with the name: MAVERICK.

BOOM UP TO REVEAL the man holding the helmet, his back to us, his head turned slightly. Something troubles him. Deeply.

MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) Captain Mitchell.

And as the pilot turns we MATCH CUT TO:

A12 INT. AIRSTREAM - DAY A12

PETE “MAVERICK” MITCHELL opens his eyes from a deep sleep. He sits up, takes a deep breath, taking in the humble trailer he calls home. For those of us who know Maverick from long ago, we’re left to wonder how he ended up here.

He stands, moves to the kitchenette to start the coffee machine and, along with, his day.

CLOSE ON the door of Mav’s trailer as he exits, holding a plate with his breakfast and a cup of joe. Pull back with him TO REVEAL:

The Airstream occupies a space one could only describe as the ultimate bachelor pad - motorcycles, a vintage car, a workbench covered with memories of a life dedicated to flight and, the centerpiece: A World War Two-era P-51 MUSTANG.

If we suspected for a moment that Maverick had ended up on his ass, we were sorely mistaken.

TIME CUT: As Maverick eats his breakfast at a small table across from an empty chair.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 2.

Maverick finishes his breakfast, stands, pats the P-51 with affection as he passes her on his way to the workbench.

REVEAL: CLOSE SHOTS of Mav’s surroundings (as he dresses in b.g.): TROPHIES and AIRSPEED RECORDS, PHOTOS of a younger Maverick, with ICEMAN, at Ice’s wedding, with GOOSE, CAROLE and their young son BRADLEY. Mav with that same boy as a TEEN.

He opens a cabinet lined with jackets. He pulls one out, wrapped in plastic, saved for special occasions, it seems. He rips the plastic off revealing patch laden leather that’s been around a long, long time.

Mav passes a calendar, the date marked in red:

MACH 9 TODAY

He walks past a COLLECTION OF MOTORCYCLES, a beaten up old Pepsi machine, stops at one bike under a tarp. Revealing a familiar ‘86 KAWASAKI NINJA.

CLOSE ON: Aviators and a set of keys by a helmet.

He takes the keys and sunglasses, leaves the helmet...

VROOOM. Maverick screams away from the hangar, spiraling dust, taking his machine to the limit.

A maximum security military facility. At a gatehouse checkpoint, two ARMED UNIFORMS see him coming, open the gate, wave him through without stopping. They watch him go.

A prototype high-hypersonic jet, THE DARKSTAR, dominates the hangar. It is unlike any machine we’ve ever seen before - itching to scream across the heavens. All it needs is a pilot. Mav strides in, ready to ride it. He stops, sees:

Several ENGINEERS (JACK, SIMON & MATTHEW) and TECHS, strangely motionless. Something is amiss. All sense of momentum stops. An amiable, salty Warrant Officer, BERNIE “HONDO” COLEMAN (35), grimaces.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 3.

Hondo looks to SIMON, the meek engineer who balks.

Maverick focuses on Simon.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 4.

The team looks out at the perfectly calm, clear sky.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 5.

Matthew gives Simon a shoulder tap.

State of the art. Maverick runs a treadmill. He wears a HIGH- TECH OXYGEN MASK and heart monitor. Deep, steady breathing.

But he doesn’t. He just keeps running.

A17 TIME CUT: Mav finishes dressing in a pressure suit. A17

But Maverick isn’t listening.

AA17 INT. LONG CORRIDOR - DAY AA17

DOZENS OF DARKSTAR TEAM MEMBERS - a mix of MEN and WOMEN - CIVILIANS and MILITARY alike, mill about in a long corridor, talking quietly, waiting.

A door opens OS and everyone falls silent. All eyes focus on:

MAVERICK, clad in his space suit, carrying his oxygen. We follow him from behind, watching as the team parts to let him pass. Hondo falls in step with him.

We move with them in profile.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 6.

AA17 CONTINUED: AA17

And off Hondo’s sigh we CUT TO:

B17 EXT. TEST HANGAR - NIGHT B17

The Darkstar is rolled from the hangar into tarmac position.

CLOSE ON: Mav’s gloved hand stroking the nose of the aircraft.

WITH A TECH carrying his O2 unit, Mav does a walk-around inspection of the prototype jet. The engineers look on.

Maverick STRAPS IN the pilot’s chair. TECHS attach cables and hoses, secure Mav to his seat, give his harness a big yank. He fist bumps both of them before they step down. Hondo remains.

19 The canopy LOWERS, drowning him out. Mav gives a thumbs-up.19 Hondo glares. Gives a reluctant thumbs-up back and hops down.

Maverick takes a deep breath, a moment of apprehension as it sinks in what he’s about to do.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 7.

A20 INT. MISSION CONTROL - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER A20

Hondo now has a headset on, amongst Engineers and Techs watching satellite feeds, cockpit cameras, etc.

Mav presses the APU START button and the left engine whines.

Mav flips switch and the left engine whines.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 8.

Mav flips switch and the right engine whines.

A21 INT. CONTROL ROOM A21

Hondo turns to his engineers.

The engineers at their consoles give a thumbs up.

21 With a PRIMAL ROAR, exhaust cones spit plumes of BLUE FIRE.21

Mav is on the radio.

Mav is taxi-ing.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 9.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 10.

Mav moves the stick accordingly.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 11.

Maverick presses reset button.

Mav sets the frequency for 241.125.

The Darkstar rolls out, lining up on the tarmac. RUMBLING...

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 12.

HONDO (O.S.) HONDO (ALT)

Darkstar, Control. Do you Darkstar, Control. How do you feel the need? feel?

Maverick pushes the throttle forward.

Maverick thinks this over.

Maverick pushes the throttle forward. Afterburners kick in.

Maverick takes off.

A government sedan arrives. The checkpoint guard meets it:

CAIN’S AIDE Rear Admiral Chester Cain.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 13.

The guard glances at the OMINOUS SILHOUETTE in the back seat and waves the sedan through. Just then, a distant rumbling catches their attention, growing louder, shaking the foundations of the guardhouse.

REAR ADMIRAL CHESTER “HAMMER” CAIN, a cold-eyed 2-Star Admiral emerges from the back of his sedan as:

DARKSTAR SUDDENLY RIPS OVERHEAD WITH A DEAFENING ROAR. Cain’s driver recoils, hit by a gale force DUST BLAST.

Cain himself just closes his steely eyes.

The ground swiftly recedes behind Mav as he heads skyward...

Hondo and the crew of Engineers and Techs sit with headsets, watching satellite feeds, cockpit cameras, telemetry, etc.

A26 INT. DARKSTAR COCKPIT A26

Maverick pushes the throttle.

B26 INT. MISSION CONTROL B26

Cain walks in. Engineers stand, struggle to act as if nothing’s amiss.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 14.

B26 CONTINUED: B26

Awkward looks all around. Hondo never takes his eyes off of Cain as he reaches for the radio.

Mav hits switches: main engines SHUT DOWN. An eerie silence, then a THUNDEROUS PEAL as SCRAMJET engine bursts to life.

Darkstar ROCKETS into the upper atmosphere, where rapidly thinning air gives way to the blackness of space.

The Engineers are rapt, monitoring with nervous tension...

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 15.

A30 INT. DARKSTAR - NIGHT A30

Maverick is, in fact, simulating the breakup verbally:

Mav says nothing, his half-smile turning to pure focus.

B30 INT. MISSION CONTROL - NIGHT B30

Simon, the meek engineer checks a monitor to reveal a trickle of code unreadable to the untrained eye - gaining speed.

Thin atmosphere screams past Darkstar’s prow, SHEETING INTO FLAME from the concussive friction. Maverick’s in the zone:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 16.

He’s hitting switches, making minute adjustments. Exertion. Sweat. Airspeed gauges spin upward...

They share looks of concern. Everyone is sweating. They are into the unknown now... Hondo looks at the flight data monitor, a steady flow now.

And he gently nudges the stick.

Mav stows his final test card, looks to the now-blank board. He shuts eyes, trusts his feel, and whispers:

And he gently nudges the stick.

A33 EXT. SATELLITE ALTITUDE - DAY A33

Looking down from space, that Darkstar leaves a contrail in a wide arch across the western half of the U.S.

Amidst the celebration, one engineer now notices:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 17.

Cain steps to the screen with just a hint of a smile.

But Mav’s all resolve. He tenses the throttle, JAMS it all the way forward. Gauges roll past Mach 9.3... 9.4...

CLOSE ON: One of the tech’s screen flashes a SURFACE TEMP HOT warning.'

Hondo looks at Cain who stares back.

Scramjet engine SCREAMING like a banshee, PLASMA ripping off the nose, casting a purple glow over the cockpit. The speed gauge keeps rolling and reaches Mach 10. Mav grits his teeth.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 18.

Maverick looks down at the warning lights.

The team CHEERS. Hondo notes the data recorder exploding with new data. A gusher. Cain realizes what this means. The geeky engineer pumps a fist:

But Hondo stares at his monitor. He knows his friend well.

The speed gauge needle trembles ever so higher...

10.1... 10.2...

But now Darkstar JOLTS VIOLENTLY. WARNING LIGHTS pepper the console, ALARMS buzzing in his ear. He swallows hard:

BOOM. Maverick is slammed against the canopy.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 19.

All screens go DARK. The stream of flight data vanishes.

Static. Cain doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t need to.

SILENCE

A country highway. Some trucks blow past; a tumbleweed rolls.

A46 INT. TRUCK STOP - DAWN A46

A bell jingles. One by one, PATRONS take in a sight at the door in awe. REVEAL:

Maverick, dazed, parched, helmet in one hand, stick in the other. Patrons stare. A WAITRESS at the counter pours water for a dumbstruck CUSTOMER and his YOUNG SON eating ice cream.

Maverick motions towards the ice water she just poured. She hands it to him. He drinks it. All of it.

NOISE O.S. Helicopters. The sound of his fate.

A Navy “Rescue Hawk” HH-60 helicopter lands. Maverick is escorted into the waiting embrace of TWO MPs.

Maverick glances back at the heli as it flies away. He sighs, walks away with the MPs to face the music.

B47 INT. LONG CORRIDOR - DAY B47

Mav enters, followed by the MPs. He stops. REVEAL:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 20.

B47 CONTINUED: B47

Hondo and the same Darkstar team members Maverick left behind are here to greet him. The emotions are mixed; they are proud of what they’ve all achieved, but unsure of the cost was worth it.

He moves on. They part for him, offering muted thanks, some words of encouragement. Some can’t even look him in the eye.

It is a solemn moment of farewell. The passing of a legend.

As he passes the last of them, he stops and looks back.

(Note: We stay in the wide so as not to undercut the moment later in Cain’s office)

Bittersweet smiles from the team. Yes they did. Mavericks walks on, ready to face the music. Out on his terms.

SILENCE. The SPs flank the door. Cain sits behind a desk, turns page after page of a file. Mav waits, sweating in his flight suit, gently thumbing the stick in his hand.

After a long wait, Cain closes the file, stares.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 21.

He stares, waits. Maverick’s smile flickers ever so slightly. This is the end of the line. Beat:

Cain stands. Stares out the window at the future.

Without taking his eyes off Maverick:

Beat.

Cain turns, sits back at the desk. Even Maverick is confused.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 22.

Maverick stands, hesitates, can’t help himself:

He plants the DARKSTAR’S STICK on the desk.

Cain never looks up. Maverick turns to leave, stopping on:

And with a sly grin, Maverick is gone.

AERIAL RIPS over Point Loma revealing the North Island NAS, as the TOP GUN ANTHEM theme kicks in.

Maverick rips down a taxiway as an F-18 Super Hornet takes off beyond. He watches it soar. Can’t believe he’s back.

A51 EXT. AIRBASE ENTRANCE A51

Mav rides along an entry drive, stopping to look up at:

An old F-14 TOMCAT displayed on a museum pedestal like a relic from a bygone era.

CLOSE ON: The faded name just under the canopy:

LT. PETE “MAVERICK” MITCHELL

Under that are the silhouettes of three planes, all X’d out.

Maverick drives on.

Maverick enters the North Island NAS Headquarters.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 23.

CLOSE ON: Photos of faces we might recognize: ICEMAN, SLIDER and, of course, GOOSE. For anyone unfamiliar, it’s obvious there is story here - Glory and ghosts. We pass a photo of ICEMAN AND MAVERICK, settle on a prominent photo of:

A stern-jawed ADMIRAL TOM KAZANSKY aka ICEMAN. “Commander of the Pacific Fleet”.

REVEAL: Maverick, staring at the past.

ADMIRAL’S AIDE (O.S.) Captain Mitchell...Captain Mitchell.

Maverick snaps from his thoughts.

A MONITOR with an image that means little to us now but will come to dominate our thoughts. A HANDSOME, SQUARE-JAWED MAN (40s) steps in front of it. This is:

CLOSE ON: ADMIRAL BATES (55). An affable, brilliant two-star, otherwise known as:

His tone is friendly enough, but the meaning is clear. No one is exactly excited to see Maverick back.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 24.

Awkward silence. Cyclone nods to Warlock who takes a remote and summons images on the monitors on the walls. Warlock clicks through SURVEILLANCE IMAGES of INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS at the base of a forbidding valley.

Maverick steps closer, studying the screens as Warlock points to corresponding satellite and archival images, along with a profile of the run:

Maverick lets that go. He has to.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 25.

The surface-to-air threat necessitates a low level, laser- guided strike, tailor made for the F-18. I figure two precision bombs minimum. Makes it four planes, flying in pairs. (studies topography) That’s one helluva steep climb out, exposing you to all the surface-to- air missiles. Survive that, it’s a dogfight all the way home.

Beat. Maverick realizes.

Maverick realizes...

Beat.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 26.

The words just hang there.

Warlock hits a button and TWELVE PILOT I.D. PHOTOS appear:

Maverick’s eyes lock on one face in particular. The stoic face of BRADLEY “ROOSTER” BRADSHAW.

Warlock is uncomfortable with this:

Maverick has had about enough of this shit, but soldiers on.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 27.

Maverick looks at the picture of Rooster one more time.

An old yacht club converted into a ramshackle shrine to wild nights and Naval history, beneath a big sign (”The Hard Deck”) and a small one (“Help Wanted”).

Quiet. A FEW PATRONS waiting for the evening to kick off. Maverick, in his civvies, sits at the bar, his back to the door. In the corner, he sees TWO YOUNG PILOTS playing darts:

JAVY “COYOTE” MACHADO and JAKE “HANGMAN” SERESIN.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 28.

Hangman hits three bulls-eyes in a row, smiles, doesn’t crow, takes money from Coyote before making brief eye contact with Maverick - no idea who he’s looking at.

CLOSE ON: Mav’s phone buzzes on the bar. The icon photo is that of ICEMAN, in Admiral’s uniform.

ICE: That went well.

Mav grudgingly responds.

M: The kid’s not ready for this mission.

ICE: No one is. That’s why you’re here.

M: You could have warned me.

ICE: Would you have come?

Maverick’s thumbs hover, unsure how to reply. Beat.

ICE: Sorry I couldn’t be there.

M: Where were you?

Beat.

ICE: Think it over.

He sighs, places his phone on the bar.

VOICE (O.S.) Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, he walks into mine.

He looks up at THE BARTENDER: PENNY BENJAMIN has a striking face with kind eyes that have seen it all - so much that nothing really ever gets her down.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 29.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 30.

He just looks at her.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 31.

Pause.

She reaches over and rings a bell, CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG. The entire bar CHEERS. AN AVIATOR slaps him on the back:

Penny points to a “House Rules” sign:

Maverick follows Hangman’s eyeline to the door.

The first of the night’s REVELERS enter, occupying tables, circling the bar, giving the joint a little life.

Among them are THREE PILOTS: REUBEN “PAYBACK” FLOYD, MICKEY “FANBOY” GARCIA, and NATASHA “PHOENIX” TRACE.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 32.

Maverick watches them over to the pool table with interest.

A56 INT. HARD DECK - POOL TABLE - DUSK A56

Phoenix smiles, annoyed but patient. As she approaches:

Hangman demurs with a bit of false modesty.

Hangman’s smile fades. Coyote jumps in to defend.

Hangman looks at Coyote. “Thanks for nothing.”

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 33.

A56 CONTINUED: A56

Phoenix motions, Coyote sees a guy with glasses sitting in the corner - human wallpaper: LT ROBERT “BOB” FLOYD.

Beat. The other share a look. Bob would have to be invisible for no one to have noticed. And that’s exactly what Bob is.

Hangman walks away toward the bar as:

Awkward pause. Phoenix studies him.

Long pause. No telling what Phoenix thinks about this until: She grabs a pool cue.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 34.

B56 INT. HARD DECK - BAR AREA - NIGHT B56

Hangman approaches with an empty bottle, gets Penny’s attention.

Maverick sighs, then:

Maverick freezes. Over his shoulder, BRADLEY BRADSHAW, aka ROOSTER, enter. Phoenix strides over with open arms:

He goes to hug her. She feints a punch to his gut, he flinches.

Maverick watches with renewed interest as the pilots settle around the pool table everyone sizing everyone up. All of them are good. They all want to know who’s best.

Penny hands Hangman his beers.

He heads back to the other pilots.

More people are entering the bar, the night kicking off.

Penny sees Maverick watching Rooster.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 35.

B56 CONTINUED: B56

Mav decides he should. Just as he stands, Rooster turns and looks at Mav, as if he knew he was there all along. They stare for a beat, then Rooster turns back to Phoenix.

Penny sees this entire thing.

Maverick hands her his card. Penny heads off with it to close him out.

C56 INT. HARD DECK - POOL AREA - DUSK C56

ON THE PILOTS:

He hands Rooster a beer.

Phoenix and Rooster share a glance.

Hangman winks at Rooster, needling him.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 36.

C56 CONTINUED: C56

Hangman looks up from his next shot, stands and walks to Rooster, face-to-face.

Cold beat. The song changes.

He walks off. Rooster exhales as Phoenix steps up, unimpressed by the high-chesting. Rooster never takes his eyes off of Hangman as:

ANGLE ON: Hangman stepping to the jukebox, smiles and makes a selection.

JOHNNY CASH’ COCAINE BLUES kicks off. The energy in the room shifts. It’s Hangman’s party.

Mav makes note of this, shifts his eyes back to Rooster and Phoenix, who are slightly annoyed that it’s too loud to talk now.

ON THE PILOTS:

At the door: a second wave of PILOTS enter. More hot shots.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 37.

C56 CONTINUED: (2) C56

And a look darkens Rooster’s face as he realizes...

D56 INT. HARD DECK - BAR AREA - NIGHT D56

Penny drops Mav’s card on the bar.

As Maverick sighs, reaches into his pocket:

CLOSE ON: A hand grabs a power cord and yanks it from the wall. All of the music in the bar stops. The crowd groans, catcalls, whistles.

CLOSE ON: Hands pull up a bench, open the lid of a piano.

WIDE SHOT of the crowd, all heads turning as someone starts pounding on the piano.

At the bar, Maverick turns and sees Rooster at the piano, playing away, the reaction in the room skeptical.

In the back, Phoenix smiles, nods to Payback and Fanboy to follow her. They do, unsure of what’s going on.

Hangman stands up from his next shot at the pool table, left alone with Coyote. The party is no longer his.

CLOSE ON: Rooster banging away on the keys, finishing the intro. He starts singing. Phoenix joins in, motions for Fanboy and Payback to do the same.

It takes a moment, but people in the bar get into it.

At the bar, Maverick holds up all the money he’s got.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 38.

D56 CONTINUED: D56

Penny rings the bell, this time like a five alarm fire. Everyone cheers. Whatever that sound is, they love it.

A hand grabs Maverick’s shoulder. He turns to see Hangman, backed by Coyote, Payback and Fanboy. Maverick looks back to Penny.

She waves him away. Maverick is dragged back, hoisted bodily into the air, carried to the door as the crowd chants:

At the piano, Rooster plays on, his friends singing. His back to the action, he doesn’t see Maverick being hauled out.

The “Over-board” CHANT builds. The back door BLOWS OPEN and Hangman and Payback force Maverick off back steps into the sand. A raucous CHEER erupts inside.

The pilots all laugh and head back in.

Hangman high fives Coyote, greets the other pilots. But his smile fades when the music at the piano changes; the first strains of Great Balls of Fire. The crowd is into it now. Rooster has them in his hand.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 39.

Maverick’s headed for his bike, brushing off the sand. He hears the song, turns and looks back at the bar.

MAV’s POV. Through the windows, he sees Rooster at the piano.

Maverick sees a ghost. From this angle, the kid is a dead ringer for Goose, just as gawky and gangly, loving life.

Penny clocks Maverick outside. She looks to Rooster, back to Mav. She knows something of this moment’s significance.

MUSIC kicks in as jets arrive. Sleek F-18 (Echoes) and doubles (Foxtrots)... Maverick stands in the path of an arriving vehicle. Hondo steps out. As they walk:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 40.

Hondo looks at him. Maverick nods, for real.

ADMIRAL’S AIDE (PRE-LAP) STAND BY... ATTENTION ON DECK.

All snap to attention. Cyclone watches from the wings as Warlock steps to a podium and addresses:

Rooster, Phoenix, Hangman, Coyote, Bob, Payback and Fanboy along with pilots we met briefly in the bar: LT BRIGHAM “HARVARD” LENNOX, LT LOGAN “YALE” LEE, LT CALLIE “HALO” BASSETT and LT NEIL “OMAHA” VIKANDER, along with BILLY “FRITZ” AVALONE.

Rooster and Phoenix share a look and sit up as Warlock reveals the image of a new enemy fighter.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 41.

Hangman winks at Phoenix, who just rolls her eyes.

Rooster and Hangman share a glance. It’s on.

CLOSE ON: Cyclone shakes his head. Jesus.

CLOSE ON: Rooster, hearing the name, his expression icy. Phoenix shoots him a concerned glance. She understands the significance of this moment. Or thinks she does.

Maverick steps to the podium and the other pilots recognize him immediately. They all squirm, Hangman especially.

Maverick looks past Rooster to Hangman and nods as if to say “that’s right.” He raises a thick bound MANUAL:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 42.

Meanwhile, Hondo has sidled up next to Cyclone, whispering:

Hondo smiles. Cyclone doesn’t.

As he slinks away:

Maverick points to Coyote:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 43.

He DROPS his copy of the manual in the trash. The trainees react. Cyclone glowers, throws a look to Warlock.

Warlock nods. He’ll deal with it. Cyclone walks out. This is not lost on Maverick or Hondo.

And for the first time, Maverick and Rooster make eye contact.

An explosion of sound as[TWO F-18S ROAR PAST].

[ROOSTER FLIES FORMATION WITH P/FANBOY ON HIS REAR-RIGHT].

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 44.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

They immediately search the sky when they hear Mav. Rooster looks down at his radar: a wide cone shape emanating from the nose of a jet icon, sweeping an empty sky.

A77 INT. MAVERICK'S F-18 - SORTIE 1 - (OLD SC73) A77

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

B77 INT. ROOSTER'S F-18 - SORTIE 1 - (OLD SC73) B77

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

C77 INT. READY ROOM - (OLD SC71) C77

An officer’s lounge, complete with bar. A speaker on one wall broadcasts Maverick’s radio like an afternoon football game. The trainees not flying the first sortie are listening to the exercise over a radio on the bar. (They no longer enter).

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 45.

C77 CONTINUED: C77

Hangman smiles.

D77 INT. PAYBACK/FANBOY/ROOSTER/MAV F-18S - SORTIE 1 - (OLD SC73)D77

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

Pilot masks are off. Rooster cranes his neck warily in every direction.

Fanboy cranes his neck to look around and looks down at the radar.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 46.

D77 CONTINUED: D77

Masks go on. Maverick looks up. REVEAL:[MAV IS SNAKING THROUGH VALLEY BELOW THEM.], looking up at their exposed bellies.

[MAV YANKS BACK ON THE STICK AND SPLITS THEIR FORMATION THROUGH THE MIDDLE.]

[ROOSTER CLIMBS UPWARDS LEFT.]

[PAYBACK JERKS FULL ROLL TO THE RIGHT, THEN DOWN RIGHT.] Fanboy’s head cracks against the canopy, mask half on, almost losing helmet.

[MAVERICK PIROUETTES TO THE RIGHT INSTEAD OF FLIP AND DIVES AFTER PAYBACK.]

[ROOSTER BREAKS WIDE LEFT]and, for a beat, we think he’s running.

Payback and Fanboy are sitting ducks with Maverick closing.

[P/FANBOY DO A HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT, THEN INTO SCISSORS LEFT/RIGHT.]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 47.

D77 CONTINUED: (2) D77

Maverick is close to a firing position on Payback, seconds away.

[PAYBACK BREAKS RIGHT AS ROOSTER FLIES IN FRONT OF MAVERICK BREAKING LEFT.], replacing Payback as Maverick’s target.

Rooster flies with everything he has, furiously fighting. [ROOSTER DIVES DOWN THEN PULLS UP, TRYING TO GET AROUND.]

Rooster hustles, pulls a[HYBERMECH TO LEFT].

Maverick pulls a [HYBERMECH TO LEFT].

E77 INT.READY ROOM - DAY E77

The pilots are hearing all of this. Hangman loves it.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 48.

E77 CONTINUED: E77

CLOSE ON Phoenix.

F77 INT. PAYBACK/FANBOY F-18 - SORTIE 1 - (OLD SCA75) F77

Our first taste of dog fighting shows how physically demanding air combat is.[THE JETS RAPIDLY WEAVE IN AND OUT.]

Payback is coming around, trying to get guns on Maverick. [PAYBACK DOES A HARD RIGHT TURN].Maverick, meanwhile is close on Rooster. Rooster is working hard, fighting for his life.

G77 INT. F-18S - INTERCUT - SORTIE 1 - (OLD SCC75) G77

Rooster hears a loud shrill alarm. He angrily rips off his oxygen.

Payback and Fanboy realize they are too late.

[ADD SPECIAL OF MAV BANKING RIGHT.]

The class waits in silence. Phoenix stares out the window, Hangman paces. VOICE O.S.:

VOICE Fritz, Harvard, Yale... You’re up.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 49.

They nod to one another, psyche themselves up.

Payback and Fanboy look out of the window.

They take in the lonely sight of Rooster doing pushups.

Phoenix joins them.

Fritz, Harvard and Yale step outside and find Rooster sweating through pushups as Hondo paces, keeping count..

Fritz, Harvard and Yale share a smile.

Harvard takes a selfie. Rooster just keeps pushing.

CLOSE ON Fritz, Harvard and Yale, laughing.

A79 INT/EXT. MAVERICK’S F-18 / H-YALE’S F-18 - SORTIE 1A MONTAGEA79

Maverick’s jet soars into frame and instantly locks target on Harvard and Yale’s jet.

Fritz, Harvard and Yale doing push-ups, sweating.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 50.

Rooster is sitting. Phoenix comes in at the other side of the room.

Rooster takes a long time to reply.

VOICE (O.S.) Phoenix, Bob, Hangman. Your turn.

Phoenix and Hangman share a look. Neither one wants to fly with the other.

Two more majestic F-18s roar towards camera.

[RIGHT ESCHELON. HANGMAN IN LEAD, P-BOB RIGHT WING.]

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

HANGMAN * Say Phoenix, don’t you think your * WSO should have a call-sign? *

BOB * I’m right here you know. *

HANGMAN * Oh shit, I forgot. Howsabout we * tell people Bob stands for * something? Other than Robert I * mean. *

PHOENIX * Don’t take the bait, Bob. Hangman’s * just projecting. *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 51.

He’s hates his call-sign. Ever * since Rooster gave it to him. *

HANGMAN * I like to think I’ve grown into it. * Now let’s see, Bob. B.O.B... *

PHOENIX * Know why Rooster calls him Hangman, * Bob? *

HANGMAN * Wait, wait. I know. Baby On Board. *

[MAVERICK’S JET SOARS RIGHT BETWEEN THEM], loud and shocking.

[THE TWO JETS ARE FORCED TO SPREAD AS AN F-18 ROCKETS PAST 16 MILES A MINUTE ON A “KNIFE EDGE”, CANOPY-TO-CANOPY].

[SLIGHT MOVE OUTWARDS, BACK INTO LEVEL FLIGHT.]

They listen as they start to put their masks on.

They put their masks on.[MAVERICK RIPS INTO A HARD, NOSE- HIGH, RIGHT-HAND TURN.]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 52.

[PHOENIX BREAKS RIGHT AND HANGMAN CLIMBS.]

[BOB IN HARD BANK RIGHT, IS LOOKING LEFT.]

[P/BOB ARE IN HARD LEFT/RIGHT TO EVADE MAVERICK.]

The class listens. We focus on Rooster.

Rooster curses under his breath.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 53.

As [MAVERICK FALLS IN BEHIND PHOENIX AND BOB.]

[P/BOB DO A SPLIT “S” TO THE RIGHT.]

[PHOENIX MAKES A FIERCE SPLIT-S MANEUVER AND ROLLS RIGHT. BOB HANDLES IT LIKE A PRO. SHE TRIES TO PULL UNDERNEATH MAVERICK.]

[MAVERICK TURNS LEFT AND DOWN TO GET BACK TO THE OFFENSIVE ON PHOENIX AND BOB.]

[MAVERICK IS BACK ON P/BOB’S 6 O’CLOCK.]

[P/BOB BANK HARD LEFT/RIGHT TO EVADE MAVERICK.]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 54.

[HANGMAN APPEARS BEHIND PHOENIX AND MAVERICK.]

Bob struggles to look back and keep a visual on Maverick.

[PHOENIX BREAKS RIGHT].

Which puts them right in Maverick’s gunsights.[MAV “FIRES.”]

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

Phoenix punches her canopy.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 55.

ALT: No, no, it’s on me. You made the right call.

[P/BOB RTB BANK LEFT.]

[HANGMAN IN LOOSE ESCHELON RIGHT.]

[MAVERICK BREAKS LEFT INTO DITCH LEFT, SWEEP LEFT, DITCH RIGHT, SWEEP RIGHT.]

Mav does everything he can to shake Hangman, but nothing is working. At first it’s exciting, a challenge. But it isn’t long before Maverick is feeling the heat.

[INTO THE RIGHT SCISSORS.]

The physical punishment of evasive maneuvering mounts, taking it’s toll as the pursuit stretches on. Maverick is giving it all he’s got. Hangman, on the other hand:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 56.

And just when we think Maverick has reached his breaking point, [MAVERICK GOES SUPERSONIC AND CLIMBS.HANGMAN PURSUES. MAVERICK FLIES DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN.]

Maverick looks over his shoulder so he can fly into the sun while keeping an eye on Hangman.

The strain is intense, as is the light. Hangman closes his eyes, flying blind after Maverick, holding his nerve.

Phoenix and Bob are masks-off, on the way back to base.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

Hangman holds his nerve as long as he can, until:

[HANGMAN BREAKS RIGHT, LEVELS OUT], opens his eyes, looking around for Maverick. He hears the tone.

REVEAL: Maverick is behind him. Hangman punches his canopy, defeated. [MAV PULLS UP ALONGSIDE, SWEATING, WINDED.]

[HANGMAN BANKS AWAY HOME]. As Maverick watches him go, he pulls off his oxygen mask and shakes off the tension. That was a close one. Too close.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 57.

As Phoenix, Bob and Hangman give their two hundred. Hondo listens on radio.

Two more JETS SOAR, going nose-low to tangle with Maverick... as he puts a jet right in his pipper.

Another F-18 is targeted.

Another. Harvard again.

Another. Halo again.

Another.

Too far away to see who is doing the pushups. It doesn’t matter. One by one they collapse, exhausted.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 58.

The class is shattered. Demoralized. Halo, Fritz and Harvard stagger in, wasted. Hondo follows.

VOICE (O.S.) Hangman. Rooster. Your presence is requested.

They look at one another. Rooster is surprised, but neither man is happy about the pairing. Off their confused looks:

Final sortie. Rooster and Hangman head-to-head with Maverick.

A106 INT./EXT. F18S - INTERCUT - SORTIE 4 A106

[TWO F-18’s IN LINE ABREAST FORMATION. ROOSTER ON THE LEFT, HANGMAN ON THE RIGHT.]

Both men are tense, eyes peeled. There’s a shark in the water. And they’re lunch. Rooster is looking down.

Hangman is looking back.

Rooster and Hangman instinctively look back and down.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 59.

A106 CONTINUED: A106

ROOSTER’S POV. He looks down to his right. Nothing.

He looks down to his left and is shocked to see the tip of Maverick’s wing.

B106 EXT. SKIES - DAY - SORTIE 4 B106

REVEAL: [MAVERICK IS INSIDE THEIR FORMATION, JUST UNDERNEATH THEM. IN THE NEXT INSTANT, HE ROLLS AND SPLITS THEM FROM BELOW. hANGMAN ROLLS AWAY RIGHT. MAVERICK ROLLS OVER THE TOP OF ROOSTER, INVERTED, LOOKING DOWN AT HIM FROM ABOVE.]

[ROOSTER TURNS THE TABLES AND INVERTS. MAVERICK DOES THE SAME]. Their planes begin falling towards Earth, each trying to out-spiral one another[IN A LEFT SPIRAL].

The Gs are intense, the world spinning, a test of endurance.

But Rooster has no shot. And neither does Maverick. As they continue to fall.

A107 INT. HANGMAN'S F-18 - SORTIE 4 A107

He chases them, unable to make a shot at the two tangling airplanes. [FROM 5000 FT IN LEFT TURN, LOOKING LEFT & DOWN.]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 60.

A107 CONTINUED: A107

You’re running out of room. ALT: The actual deck is the deck.

The class is on their feet, staring at the radio in shock as:

A108 INT. ROOSTER AND MAV’S F18S INTERCUT - SORTIE 4 A108

The verbal altimeter is calling out the altitude as they plummet.

They strain as they plummet and spiral.

MAVERICK’S POV - the Earth is coming up fast.

B108 INT. READY ROOM - SORTIE 4 B108

Close on Phoenix, shocked at how personal this fight is.

As he watches the planes plummet in a DNA-helix of a spiral.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 61.

[THE SPIRAL CONTINUES], the ground coming up fast.

Everyone hears the altimeter dropping.

Both men look at their altimeters dropping rapidly.

The world below them is spinning wildly, coming up fast.

Finally [ROOSTER AND MAVERICK BOTH HAVE TO PULL OUT, COMING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE GROUND], maximum Gs.

[MAVERICK BANKS HARD, ROOSTER FALLING IN BEHIND HIM, BACKED BY HANGMAN]. Mav nods approvingly, sotto:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 62.

A113 INT. HANGMAN'S F-18 - SORTIE 4 A113

[ROOSTER BANKING HARD, DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE GROUND]. How much lower can he safely go:

[MAVERICK LEVELS OUT, STRIKES WITH A COBRA MANEUVER, FORCING ROOSTER AND HANGMAN TO SPLIT AND OVERSHOOT HIM.]Now Mav’s instantly in chase position for a shot of his own.

Rooster hears the tone.

Rooster seethes, outwitted, but concedes the fight...

Everyone exhales, shares a collective look. This is next level shit, even for them.

Close on Rooster, sweating and furious as he does push-ups on the tarmac, punishing himself.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 63.

Hondo pats Rooster on the shoulder.

Rooster sits up, exhausted. Feet appear next to him. He looks up to see Phoenix above him.

Phoenix processes.

Rooster does not answer.

Hangman is staring at something on the wall.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 64.

Coyote walks over and follows Hangman’s eyes to a photo from the CLASS OF ‘86. Young Maverick, with Goose beside him.

But Hangman is looking at something else. He points to Goose.

Hangman reads the names under the photo: Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and his RIO “Goose” Bradshaw.

Maverick stands, holding a folder in one hand. Warlock and Cyclone sit. The mood is grim.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 65.

Ugly pause.

Cyclone shakes this off, collects the papers on front of him.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 66.

Maverick steps forward and places his folder on the desk.

Maverick and Warlock exit, walking in silence for a moment.

They walk past Phoenix and Bob. Maverick glances back, something crossing his mind before he pushes it away.

Maverick rides his Ninja, passing the Hard Deck. He pulls a U- turn and drives back to the bar.

Maverick strides in, stops short, a yellow Labrador, “T”, approaches. As he pets it.

VOICE (O.S.) Hey, Mav.

He looks up, seeing AMELIA (14) sitting at the empty bar, busy with her homework, out of place here.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 67.

Amelia puts her pen down, shouts upstairs:

Penny enters from a back office. She stops, surprised to see Maverick.

Maverick winces, holds up a wad of cash.

Penny knows he won’t budge, accepts the cash.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 68.

A sailboat slams through whitecaps in high wind. Penny’s at the wheel, with Mav beside her, very out of his element.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 69.

Penny points to a handle by the wheel.

Mav navigates, does as instructed, struggling to stay steady on the pitching deck.

Maverick navigates uneasily towards a line running under the boom, looks back to Penny.

Maverick does as he’s told. The boat begins to stabilize.

She nods, points to the bottom of the mast, farther away.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 70.

Maverick pulls the Cunningham and the boat moves faster.

Penny points to a winch in the middle of the boat. Maverick moves it with more certainty, cranks the winch.

The boat is sailing steady and fast, whitecaps spraying. Maverick smiles. Not so different than flying. Penny cranks a winch by the wheel.

And off Penny’s smile...

JUMP CUT as the spinnaker pole is extended.

JUMP CUT as Maverick slams the spinnaker bag on the bow.

JUMP CUTS as four lines are attached.

JUMP CUT to Maverick who “jumps” the spinnaker line, using his entire body to haul the spinnaker up the mast.

ANGLE ON Penny hauling in the other end of the line through a cleat to secure it.

In this way Maverick and Penny work together, sharing a smile as:

BOAT TO BOAT ANGLE: the spinnaker deploys, filling with wind with a dramatic CRACK and pulling the boat along even faster.

BACK ON THE BOAT, hauling through the water now. Maverick navigates the deck toward Penny, the sea spraying around him. He takes a place beside her at the wheel.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 71.

Maverick eyes the wheel, taking it as Penny steps aside. It takes some effort to hold her steady. After a beat:

They share a smile and look ahead.

AB127 EXT. STREETS - DUSK AB127

Maverick drives Penny on his bike, her arms around his waist. We cruise with them a while.

She lays her head on his shoulders, feels the wind in her hair.

AC127 EXT. PENNY’S HOUSE - DUSK AC127

They pull up to Penny’s house. Penny climbs off the bike.

Awkward silence. Neither is sure how to say goodnight. Until:

She turns and heads for the house.

Penny calls back over her shoulder.

She turns away without a second thought. As Maverick watches her go, he exhales, starts his bike.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 72.

AD127 INT. PENNY'S HOUSE AD127

Penny enters and closes the door behind her before leaning her back against it, letting go of her cool demeanor.

She closes her eyes, listening to the sound of Mav’s bike riding away, then hangs her head and exhales, not unlike Maverick.

She shakes her head and exits frame as:

A127 INT. TACTICAL AUDITORIUM - DAY A127

CLOSE ON: The main screen, pulling back from a rapidly ticking timer, counting backwards toward zero...

Looming larger on the screen are schematics of:

On screen, a schematic of a radar-guided missile array.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 73.

A127 CONTINUED: A127

ON HANGMAN who smiles. This is gonna be intense.

Overhead animation of two planes zig-zagging through a narrow valley.

Reactions from the pilots.

As the planes on screen bank, one goes too high... A missile fires and destroys the high plane.

More reactions from the pilots.

One screen, schematics of the lethal looking next-gen aircraft.

Beside this, animation shows a Tomahawk Missile launch from a destroyer in a carrier group at sea as”

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 74.

A127 CONTINUED: (2) A127

The canyon, the missiles and the fifth gen planes share the screen now.

Maverick points to various turns on the canyon map.

Reactions from the class. Holy shit.

ZOOM. POV from the nose of an F-18: ripping a BRUTAL SLALOM through canyons and valleys at incredible speed...

Phoenix/Bob fly behind Coyote, blasting above the rocky desert terrain.

Phoenix has one eye on a GPS. A green dot represents their F- 18. A blue line represents the route she has to take. Red lines on either side represent canyon walls.

To stay on the line, she has to bank hard, pulling switchbacks with tremendous Gs.

In back, Bob has his own GPS, monitoring the clock, making calculations. They are both sweating.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 75.

Sweating, Coyote guns it, banking harder to follow the proposed route. The Gs intensify and the team strains. It’s grueling.

But he can’t make the turn...

Coyote yanks back the throttle and hits the brakes.

CLOSE ON: The line on Coyote’s’s GPS. He strays too far and over the red line. An alarm blares.

A131 INT. PHOENIX/BOB’S F-18 - DAY A131

Phoenix comes around the corner to see Coyote’s jet with its airbrakes extended. She yanks on the stick sending her jet into a near vertical climb, breaking the 200 foot ceiling.

Maverick’s with all the trainees, replaying the TRAINING RUN like a coach breaking down postgame film...

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 76.

Coyote feels the eyes of the class on him.

Coyote goes to speak.

Coyote feels the heat.

Then he turns on Phoenix.

Now Phoenix is the in the hot seat. Rooster stares daggers at Maverick. Maverick points to Bob.

Off Phoenix’s look, Hangman smiles.

Two more F-18s (Payback/Fanboy and Hangman) TWIST along the imaginary route, dangerously close. High G turns. Sweat.

Payback does so. But Hangman is still pulling away.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 77.

Hangman navigates a tight turn.

Too close to the canyon wall, Payback pulls up, breaking the ceiling.

An alarm sounds.

Payback and Fanboy glare at the back of Hangman’s head.

Rooster and Hangman lock eyes. Off Rooster shaking his head:

BOOM: Rooster, backed by Harvard and Yale, screams along the route, cranking and banking. They’re flying with extreme skill and confidence, a polished machine. But:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 78.

Rooster just stares at him.

Maverick looks to her.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 79.

But Maverick has never taken his eyes off of Rooster.

Maverick regrets saying it in the same instant. Ugly pause. Rooster simmers.

All eyes turn to him.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 80.

MAVERICK ROOSTER

Lieutenant- What’s that supposed to mean?

Hangman looks around the room, waiting. Finally:

HANGMAN MAVERICK

I can’t be the only one who That’s enough Lieutenant- knows that Maverick flew with his old man? Or that Maverick was flying when your old man-

But it’s too late. Rooster lunges, grabs Hangman’s collar. The class jumps in. In an instant its chaos. Hangman is not fighting back. Rooster is. Maverick, Phoenix and several other have him held tight.

HANGMAN ROOSTER

(hands up) You sonofabitch. I’m cool, I’m cool. It’s all good.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 81.

He snaps, tears himself free of those still grasping him.

Hangman pulls himself free and walks out.

Mav sits alone at the end of the day. He gets a text from Iceman. Ice wants to see him.

Maverick RIDES up on his bike, arriving at a stately officer’s home right on the ocean. Children are playing the backyard. The sound of laughter.

Mav is greeted at the door by SARAH KAZANSKY, (50).

She tries to smile. Can’t.

Her eyes well with tears and he hugs her.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 82.

A photo we’ve seen before - Maverick and Iceman on a carrier deck, a moment of triumph from another age. It holds a place of prominence among many happy memories. Children, grandchildren, birthdays, graduations, adventures.

OUT THE WINDOW we see the same extended. Happy. Content.

Maverick enters quietly. Sarah closes the door behind him.

REVEAL: A MAN sitting at a desk with his back to us, dressed warmly, too warm for the room, not a blonde hair out of place. His head is turned to the window, watching the children play in the yard.

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he turns to the laptop on his desk and types. As Maverick approaches:

REVERSE: TOM “ICEMAN” KAZANSKY looks good for his years, if a little tired. It takes a moment for us to notice the bandage around his throat.

They share a smile that quickly fades...

ON SCREEN: I’m dying. You have bigger problems.

Ice types:

I don’t want to talk about me. How’s work?

Ice points to the screen, his eyes adamant. Understanding, Maverick relents.

You were protecting him. You did the right thing.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 83.

There’s still time.

Then teach him.

Ice waves a hand: bullshit.

It’s time to let go.

Beat. It pains Maverick to answer.

Ice waits, knowing not to say anything.

Ice waits.

Ice waits. Mav takes a long shaky breath, admitting:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 84.

If I send him on this mission he might never come home... If I don’t send him... He’ll never forgive me. Either way, I could lose him... forever.

Ice waits. Mav looks at the screen.

It’s time to let go.

And Maverick nods, reaching the core of it, of himself:

Ice stands, but his hands on his friend’s shoulders, struggles to speak:

Maverick is deeply touched. Then realizes:

Busted, Ice smiles. The two friends embrace.

CLOSE ON Ice’s face. He knows otherwise.

And the olds friends manage to laugh.

Cyclone walks in to find the room empty. Curious.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 85.

Cyclone peeks in. Also empty.

Cyclone studies loitering F-18s flanking a deserted hangar.

CLOSE ON: A football. Hands come down into frame, grip it, ready to snap it camera left to camera right.

CLOSE ON: A football. Hands come down into frame, grip it, ready to snap it right to left.

REVEAL: The pilots are divided into two teams, squaring off in a game of football with one unusual feature:

There are two balls. Both quarterbacks snap at the same time. Both teams scramble. In an instant, it is chaos.

Maverick is a quarterback on one team, Rooster on the other. Rooster manages to make a pass. Maverick is sacked. In fact, the opposition seems to care more about sacking the teacher than they do about scoring.

Yet, in the midst of the hard-hits, we see something we haven’t seen before: camaraderie.

Hondo makes an epic attempt at a touchdown despite half the class clinging to him. Hangman looks down at a prone Maverick, relishing a kill. Rooster, walks past, stops, grudgingly helps him up. It is the first remotely friendly moment they have shared.

Maverick, a little sore, tenderly heads off field, waving Bob in as his replacement.

Maverick sits in one of two low lawn chairs, watching the chaos, mildly amused. He helps himself to a beer from a cooler as he eyes:

Hangman helping Rooster off the ground. Another truce of sorts.

Both balls snap and the entire class clashes. Anarchy. Mav smiles.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 86.

And a shadow falls over Maverick.

Maverick looks up at:

Cyclone is standing just beside Maverick, sunglasses hiding his eyes. He stares at the game, perplexed.

Cyclone looks again. The cadets are split into two huddles, strategizing, working together. They break for the next play.

And he walks away, taking with him any sense of accomplishment the day has produced. Maverick looks back at the class, Rooster’s team rallying around him.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 87.

B152 EXT. HARD DECK B152

Maverick walks up the beach behind the pilots, keeping the news to himself.

He turns, sees Penny standing by the back door of the Hard Deck.

Mav considers this. Nods, uncomfortable.

They stare at one another for a while.

Maverick and Penny arrive on Maverick’s bike. Penny climbs off.

A bit of a pause. Easier now. She turns toward the house. Maverick looks away, exhales.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 88.

He looks and sees her waiting by the door. He’s not sure how to respond. Penny heads inside. Maverick climbs off his bike and follows.

Maverick and Penny lie in bed, laughing quietly. *

MAVERICK * Should I go? Before Amelia gets * back. *

PENNY * She’s staying at a friend’s * tonight. *

MAVERICK * You two seem (even/a lot) closer * than the last time I saw you. * (off her nod) * How’d you manage? *

PENNY * Well you know Amelia has a mind of * her own. *

MAVERICK * Where’d she get that I wonder? *

PENNY * And she wanted more freedom than I * thought she was ready for. But, I * realized I had to trust her and let * her make her own mistakes. *

MAVERICK * Not an easy choice. *

She sees the look on his face, understands. *

PENNY * Is that what happened with Rooster? *

He looks at her, realizes she sees everything. *

MAVERICK * I stood in his way... I pulled his * papers at the academy, took years * off his career. *

PENNY * Why? *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 89.

MAVERICK * His mother never wanted him to fly. * Not after what happened to Goose. * She made me swear to her before she * died. So... *

PENNY * Does Rooster know that? *

MAVERICK * He’ll always resent me for what I * did. Why should he resent her too? *

PENNY * Not an easy choice. *

MAVERICK * I didn’t know what else to do. I * just... I was trying to be the * father he lost. I just wish I’d * handled it better. *

Penny touches his cheek. He sighs. *

Long pause. Penny is about to respond when:

They freeze.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 90.

Mav and Penny share a look, quietly.

He leaps up, pulls on his pants and shirt.

Maverick heads to the stairs.

And Penny’s nods to the open window. Beat.

But Penny goes back for Mav’s jacket and gives it to him. Pushing him out. He just stares. He can’t believe he’s doing this. He starts to climb out, looks back.

She smiles and they kiss.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 91.

Maverick’s drops to the ground, rolls, picks himself up. He turns, brushing himself off, coming face to face with:

Amelia, in the kitchen, seeing him through the window. After an awkward moment.

And she turns away, leaving Maverick to process that.

Warlock addresses the class. Maverick is off to one side.

Reactions from the class. This is bad.

As the class absorbs this, Warlock nods to Maverick.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 92.

Two F-18s blast low over ground pockmarked by scrub brush.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT SCREEN DIRECTION]

ROOSTER and PHOENIX/BOB are[FLYING AS A TEAM], heading toward a U-shaped cluster of RUSTED SHIPPING CONTAINERS.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]

In a separate sortie, Hangman and Payback/Fanboy fly at the same target: A small STEEL TARGET DRUM behind the containers.

On the main screen, a simulation of the mission plays out in slow, deliberate motion as Maverick speaks.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 93.

The aircraft in the simulation climb a mountain and roll onto their backs at the peak before diving, upside down. They roll upright and dive steeply.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]

Both teams’ aircraft fly in tandem mimicking this maneuver. [CLIMB A MOUNTAIN AND ROLL ONTO THEIR BACKS AT THE PEAK BEFORE DIVING UPSIDE DOWN. THEY ROLL UPRIGHT AND DIVE STEEPLY.] Of course, they do so without mountains in their way.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]

In the simulation, the first team’s bomb hits and the planes pull out.

The second teams’ bomb hits and the target is destroyed.

The teams dive, again without mountains, toward the shipping containers that guard the target.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 94.

Hangman and Payback miss the target.

Rooster and Phoenix, in a separate sortie, miss. Dammit.

Rooster flips off mask.

[EVERYONE POPS UP, ROLL LEFT, OVER THE TOP INVERTED, ROLL RIGHT TOWARDS THE TARGET.]

On the screen, the animated planes arc upward an out of the deep valley as:

Rooster and Phoenix/Bob pull back as hard as they can, crushed into their seats, heads pinned back.

Hangman and Payback, in a separate sortie, do the same.

[INTERCUT AS BOTH PLANES CLIMB], as pilots are strained to the point of breaking.

In the simulation behind Maverick, an animated pair of aircraft fly into the valley and fail to make the climb. They fly smack into the side of a mountain.

The class share looks. This is bad.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 95.

Animated planes climb into a hailstorm of SAMs. They take evasive action and dive immediately.

Phoenix stops Maverick mid-brief.

Rooster stares at Maverick. Neither man blinks.

He points to the animation of lethal looking SAMs firing on climbing F-18s on the screen:

Both teams strain desperately[PULLING OUT], dramatizing what Maverick describes[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 96.

(Note: Important we include PILOT POV establishing gray-out in the lead up to G-LOCK)

A170 INT. TACTICAL AUDITORIUM - BRIEF A170

And we’re back. The reality of this hitting home. Maverick points to the canyon map on the screen.

Maverick clicks a remote. On the screen, the enemy’s vaunted fifth generation fighter appears.

After an ugly silence:

And Maverick looks to Rooster, which in turn takes us to:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 97.

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]

In the distance, [TWO F-18S STREAK TOWARDS]the target.

In the foreground,[MAV’S BLACK F-18 RISES INTO FRAME ]on a course to intercept.

A171 INT. COYOTE - PHOENIX/BOB F18S INTERCUT - POP UP SORTIE 3A171

Coyote in the lead, backed by Phoenix and Bob.

Radar beeps.

[MAV APPROACHES FROM PILOTS’ 10 O’CLOCK. PILOTS’ EYELINE IS 10 O’CLOCK.]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 98.

A171 CONTINUED: A171

Bob reaches for a button/knob, constantly working.

COYOTE PHOENIX

Popping in 3-2-1. Popping in 3-2-1.

[COYOTE, P/BOB SCREAM INTO THEIR WELDED WING POP-UP MANEUVER, ARCING INTO THE SKY AND THEN ROLL OVER TO MAKE THEIR 45 DEGREE DIVE.]

Maverick is approaching...

Bob paints it with his laser.

But as he hits his payload trigger a WARNING LIGHT flashes: “MALFUNCTION.” He tries again. And again.

Coyote curses under his breath,[PULLS OUT OF THE STEEP DIVE], Phoenix and Bob close behind, straining under the intense Gs.

Suddenly, an ALARM BLARES in Phoenix’s cockpit.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 99.

[PHOENIX PEELS OFFRIGHT.]

Meanwhile, [COYOTE PULLS BACK ON THE STICK WITH ALL HE’S GOT.]

A196 INT. TACTICAL AUDITORUM - POP UP SORTIE 3 A196

Coyote’s plane crosses the imaginary line.

B196 INT. MAVERICK’S F-18 - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 B196

C196 INT. COYOTE’S F-18 - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 C196

But Coyote is determined. He keeps pulling, harder still. And we realize something is wrong.

CLOSE ON: Coyote’s eyes. Pinned.

COYOTE’S P.O.V. The world outside is subtly pixilated, the periphery going gray, tunnel vision creeping in.

Coyote is blacking out.

[COYOTE ROLLS LEFT IN A PASSED OUT ROLL.]

Maverick sees [COYOTE’S NEAR-VERTICAL JET START TO NOSE OVER.]

The others watch [COYOTE’S PLANE START TO ROLL]... Cyclone steps closer, knowing something is wrong.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 100.

[COYOTE’S F-18 IS INVERTED, HEADED BACK FOR THE GROUND.]

[MAVERICK DIVES LEFT AFTER COYOTE TARGETING HIS PLANE.]

[P/BOB FOLLOW FALLING IN TIGHT FORMATION WITH MAV.]

Coyote is half in, half out of consciousness. A WARNING ALARM SCREAMS in his cockpit, rousing him back from the brink.

COYOTE’S POV, the ground coming up fast.[COYOTE YANKS BACK ON THE STICK AND REGAINS CONTROL], breathing heavy.

A204 INT. MAVERICK’S F-18 - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 A204

[LEVEL FLIGHT]

[RIGHT ESCHELON, RIGHT TO LEFT]

Mav pulls off his oxygen mask, exhales relief.

[P/BOB APPEAR BESIDE MAVERICK’S JET.]

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 101.

B204 INT. TACTICAL AUDITORIUM - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 B204

Cyclone, with Warlock, Hondo and the class, stares as this plays out on SCREENS.

C204 INT. MAVERICK’S F-18 - POP UP SORTIE 3 C204

Maverick hears a BANG, looks around. What the?

D204 INT. PHOENIX/BOB'S F-18 - POP UP SORTIE 3 D204

Phoenix is still giving it her all when BANG.

[BANKS LEFT INTO SLOW LEFT ROLL.]

ALARMS BLARE. Bob’s instrument cluster lights up.

Phoenix pulls back on the stick.

Bob looks over his shoulder to see the LEFT engine is on fire.

Phoenix pulls back on throttle and activates the fire extinguisher switch.

Phoenix flips the APU switch and pushes the right throttle forward.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 102.

D204 CONTINUED: D204

Nothing happens.

She tries the APU and throttle again. But suddenly, with a BANG, the right engine now CATCHES FIRE.

E204 INT. MAVERICK’S F-18 - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 E204

[MAVERICK SEES PHOENIX’S JET VEERING.]

F204 INT. TACTICAL AUDITORIUM - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 F204

Everyone watches, helpless...

Rooster stands, powerless. All he can do is watch.

G204 INT. PHOENIX/BOB'S F-18 - DAY - POP UP SORTIE 3 G204

[PHOENIX STRUGGLES TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE PLANE.]

[P/BOB JET STARTS TO ROLL OFF RIGHT.]

H204 INT. TACTICAL AUDITORUM - POP UP SORTIE 3 H204

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 103.

Phoenix’s grabs the handles. The canopy blows. She and Bob are ejected one after the other seconds before their jet COLLIDES with the desert floor and EXPLODES.

Maverick watches the two chutes drift, seeing the past flash before his eyes... He pulls off his mask, shutting his eyes.

[Note: Still waiting on technical here]:

A Coast Guard MH-60T JAYHAWK SOARS OVER the landscape.

INTERCUT QUICK GLIMPSES of the Coast Guard rescue: CREWMEN rappelling from the chopper with a RESCUE STRETCHER. Working expertly, they’re able to pluck them off the slope.

Phoenix and Bob are banged up, but alive, being tended to by MEDICS. Cyclone is here.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 104.

Phoenix and Bob share a look.

Maverick waits anxiously. Cyclone emerges from the infirmary and approaches. There is a long, uncomfortable pause as Cyclone ponders what to say. Just as he goes to say it:

Maverick and Cyclone turns their heads to see Warlock and Hondo approaching.

Cyclone looks to Hondo: “Well?”

Cyclone looks at Maverick for another beat, then walks away. Warlock follows, leaving Maverick and Hondo to share a look.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 105.

Pictures of Top Gun pilots past: Ice, Maverick, Goose.

A lone light on. Rooster sits alone...

He stares at his phone and a photo of his young self with Maverick. After a hesitant beat, he deletes it.

Maverick enters, notices a photo in Rooster’s locker:

GOOSE, his wife CAROL, and a tow-headed 3-year-old Rooster, arms around each other, happy. It watches over the scene:

He turns to leave, stopping on:

The words sting them both. Maverick wants to tell the truth, but can’t. After a long pause.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 106.

Rooster smiles at the irony.

Before Maverick can respond:

Maverick turns, seeing something in Warlock’s eyes. And in that moment he knows. The sound of taps takes us to:

A portrait of Iceman presides over his funeral. An AMERICAN FLAG is presented to his wife. Her sons, their wives and small children are all by her side.

A large group of NAVAL OFFICERS and their FAMILIES are in attendance. Officers are all in crisp dress blues.

Maverick stands beside Iceman’s family. Elsewhere, Penny’s with Amelia. Cyclone receives the folded flag from the officers and presents it to Sarah.

Sarah glances to Maverick who begins his eulogy.

Maverick steps forward to the casket, puts his wings on the casket and salutes.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 107.

In THE CROWD: Rooster and the trainees are in attendance too, along with many TOPGUN graduates. Rooster watches Mav step away from the casket...

...as there’s the rumbling CRESCENDO OF JETS as the Navy’s BLUE ANGELS STREAK OVERHEAD. One pulls up into a vertical climb: the “missing man” formation.

Maverick and Cyclone make eye contact.

A212 INT. CYCLONE'S OFFICE A212

Maverick stands before Cyclone, seated at his desk.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 108.

A212 CONTINUED: A212

Maverick lingers, searches for words.

Maverick nods and exits.

Penny is on the porch, waiting for Maverick.

Maverick sighs.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 109.

And he knows she’s right. She smiles a little, hopeful but sad...

She stands and walks in the house. He’s left alone with the sunset and the distant RUMBLE of jets ascending...

Rooster and Trainees back in seats. Cyclone instructs. Warlock is there too.

Rooster’s eyes narrow. What the fuck is this?

This is not lost on Rooster.

Fanboy whispers to Payback.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 110.

The SCREEN behind him shows a JET’S POV approaching a mountain range. Trainees are, distracted. Cyclone turns.

Maverick’s BLACK F-18 SCREAMS across the landscape, dropping lower as mountain peaks loom...

Maverick’s at the stick, GUNNING it for the mountains...

Reactions from the class.

CLOSE ON Rooster, his expression hard to read.

CYCLONE DOES NOT TAKE HIS EYES OFF THE SCREEN.

Hondo hits a few buttons and All SCREENS COME ON with the POVs from Maverick’s F-18 as:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 111.

Afterburner ROARS as Mav slices ahead, studying the THREE ROUTES on his display, as he locks in his focus...

Rooster watches Mav’s SCREEN POV lining up for a run...

Reactions from the room.

CLOSE ON ROOSTER, focused on the screen.

Mav’s jet ROARS into the course, dipping dangerously low, SKIMMING right above the riverbed floor.

Rooster and the rest watch his TIMER and ALTITUDE levels...

Mav’s F-18 HUGS the tight twists and curves, seeing the Final Canyon final narrow notch now looming ahead as he KNIFES through the final ridge gap that stymied Rooster.

Suddenly, he yanks back on the stick and climbs out of the valley.

The class watches him climb out.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 112.

Reactions of disappointment from all but two:

Rooster, leaning in, waiting...

And Cyclone, who nods ever so slightly, in a way that says he will deal with Maverick permanently.

When he hears no response, he turns to Hondo.

Hondo snaps out of it and reaches for the phone.

Maverick shuts off his radio.

Maverick resets the clock, cranks the stick hard and dives, coming back around for a second pass. He repeats the same maneuver’s, except:

Cyclone turns, noticing the class staring at the screens, enrapt.

Cyclone turns to face the screen as everyone else leans in.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 113.

Bob checks his watch, hits the timer.

CLOSE ON ROOSTER, waiting...

Silence. An empty sky. Barely a breeze. A black spot on the horizon growing larger by the second until THE GATES OF HELL EXPLODE and Maverick’s F-18 blows right over us at 920 knots and twenty feet off the deck.

He SWOOPS into his POP-UP CLIMB, pulling severe G’s as he tops out, rolls and PLUNGES INTO HIS BOMBING DIVE.

He struggles to put the shuddering STEEL DRUM target in his crosshairs...

He DROPS a TRAINING ROUND as he dives, and SWOOPS INTO A CLIMB at the last possible second. As the SMOKE HITS:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 114.

Mav BATTLES the jet, pulling 10 Gs on his egress, impossibly steep. Fighting hard to clear the “virtual mountain”...

The team can see the readout on their screen. 10 Gs, far beyond the accepted limits of the F18.

The trainees react. They’d cheer if Cyclone weren’t here.

Cyclone stares at the screen, his expression impossible to read. Warlock eyes the trainees.

Rooster sits back, looks down. He’s the only one not celebrating. He has too much to think about now.

Rain is pouring outside. Thunder rolls. A clock ticks. Mav sits beside Warlock in front of Cyclone’s desk. Cyclone’s stares out the widow, hands behind his back.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 115.

But then I would be disposing of the one man with a ghost of a chance of successfully completing this mission.

Maverick blinks, stunned. Did he hear that correctly?

Maverick moves to speak, Warlock stops him.

And over Maverick’s incredulous expression:

Crowded, busy, alive. SAILORS dancing. Maverick enters in uniform. Behind the bar, Penny brightens when she sees him.

But her smile fades when she sees the look on his face.

And the sounds of the bar give way to:

The sounds of the ocean. Just Maverick and Penny now. She’s up to speed and stunned.

She studies him.

He just stares. His eyes say it all. She embraces him tightly and shuts her eyes.

CLOSE ON: MAVERICK. His eyes are set on an uncertain future.

And the pre-lap of JET ENGINES warming up gives way to:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 116.

The roar of the ocean as the imposing USS JOHN C. THEODORE ROOSEVELT cuts through the waves.

Maverick, Rooster and all of the pilots. Hondo is off to the side with Cyclone. All eyes are on Warlock at the head of the room.

On a SCREEN behind him, a detailed map of the TARGET VALLEY highlights the flight paths of various elements.

Warlock takes a beat, looking over the faces of the pilots. Rooster cannot believe this any more than Maverick.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 117.

Phoenix and Bob are understandably moved.

Hangman straightens, ready for the job. Rooster looks down.

Everyone is surprised, most of all, Rooster and Hangman.

As the pilots fall out, Maverick steps to Hangman.'

Maverick doesn’t need to reply.

He nods falls out. Hondo approaches Maverick as he shifts attention to Rooster.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 118.

Maverick’s eyes meet Rooster’s. There is nothing to say.

A240 EXT. CARRIER ELEVATOR - DAWN A240

AN F-18 silhouetted against the morning sky, rising to the main deck. A HELMET edges into frame, bearing red white and blue stripes along with the name: MAVERICK.

BOOM UP TO REVEAL the man holding the helmet, his back to us, his head turned slightly. Something troubles him. Deeply.

MAN’S VOICE (O.S.) Captain Mitchell.

Maverick turns to see Warlock looking up as the elevator rises.

Maverick smiles, nods.

A ballet of controlled chaos as various FLIGHT DECK CREWS prepping all the aircraft involved in the mission.

Rooster, Phoenix, Bob, Payback and Fanboy step onto the deck. It’s for real now. No more training. They trade determined looks... and head for the planes...

Rooster finds Hangman in his way. After a long pause.

Rooster nods. Hangman walks away, leaving Rooster to contemplate the gravity of what’s happening. Rooster sees Maverick.

It is the first time we’ve heard him say that name. The two men meet by Mav’s F-18.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 119.

They shake hands.

Rooster nods walks away, Maverick watches him go.

Maverick snaps out of his thoughts. REVEAL:

He’s strapped into his F18. Hondo is leaning into the cockpit.

Maverick nods. Hondo stares.

Hondo stares at him. Maverick stares back. Something unspoken passes between the two men.

And the two men shakes hands, as if, in case, it is the last time...

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 120.

Phoenix and Bob are sweating, psyching themselves past the anxiety.

A246 INT. F-18 - ROOSTER - DAWN A246

Rooster shakes off the nerves.

Fanboy crosses himself. Payback exhales.

A247 INT. HANGMAN’S F-18 - DAWN A247

Maverick is about to respond, hesitates.

A248 INT. F-18'S INTERCUT A248

The other pilots hang in the awkward silence. Finally:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 121.

B248 INT. MAVERICK’S F18 - DAWN B248

C248 INT. F-18'S INTERCUT C248

Reactions from all of the pilots, moved as he continues.

We land on Rooster for:

D248 INT. MAVERICK'S F18 DAWN D248

Maverick clips on his mask.

Cyclone and Warlock stand with ship’s Officers and Comms- Crew. Hondo is here as well, anxious.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 122.

A CATAPULT OFFICER signals with a two-finger wave, as the two jets facing him throttle ENGINES to full...

Maverick and Rooster, side-by-side, SALUTE the Officer, then press heads back against headrests.

The FINAL CHECK CREWS around each aircraft offer a thumbs-up, one by one, causing the Catapult Officer to crouch, touching the deck to point forward.

Maverick and Rooster’s Super Hornets BLITZ across the deck, RIPPING into the sky.

Phoenix and Bob, Payback and Fanboy are launched a moment later.

Four F-18s fly above dark ominous clouds...

An AIR CONTROL OFFICER watches streams of data roll in:

An F-35 PILOT monitors his electronic view of the valley:

[ALL JETS ARE ABOVE A LAYER OF CLOUDS. THEY DESCEND THROUGH THE CLOUDS TO 1000 FEET.]

Rooster takes a deep breath. They’re going in.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 123.

[ALL JETS DESCEND TO 100 FEET]

A254 INT. F-18’S INTERCUT - MORNING A254

Maverick, Rooster, Bob and Fanboy all place a finger on a timer start button set for [TIME TBD].

All four push the button and their clocks start counting down.

With Mav taking lead, the Strike Package flies in a delta formation toward enemy territory.

AM254 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - DAWN AM254

A TECH STARTS A TIMER ON THE PANEL.

HONDO CLICKS A STOPWATCH OF HIS OWNand holds it in his clenched fist throughout the sequence, checking it periodically.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 124.

AA254 EXT. OCEAN AA254

[AS THEY ROAR ACROSS THE OCEAN THE JETS SWITCH FROM DIAMOND FORMATION TO THE SNAKE POSITION]

BB254 INT. F18S INTERCUT BB254

CLOSE ON all of the pilots sweating, riding the ragged edge.

Rooster flips switches on his console, his breathing picks up... This is low. Too low. He’s sweating bullets, pushing himself to focus and hold it together.

UP AHEAD: SNOWY MOUNTAINS, all crags and jagged pines, tighter alleys than they ever had in training.

CLOSE ON: Rooster, watching that narrow canyon coming up fast. He glances at his air speed. Too fast.

AA255 INT. F18S - INTERCUT AA255

A255 INT. F-18S INTERCUT A255

ANGLE ON each of the pilots taking a deep breath as they commit...

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 125.

AB255 EXT. SKIES AB255

[THE FOUR JETS ROAR INTO THE NARROW CANYON.]Tension gives way to terror.

LOOKING DOWN FROM ATOP A MOUNTAIN on the valley below as the formation flies past.

Phoenix and Bob fly freakishly close below several bridges. Bob looks up at them.

REVEAL: IN the foreground, a AUTOMATED SAM MISSILE ARRAY sitting inertly on the mountaintop, watching the skies above.

CLOSE ON Bob looking up at the SAMS above.GOLD/ORANGE ROUTE

B255 EXT. USS LEYTE GULF - MORNING B255

Massive plumes of smoke and fire send Tomahawk Missiles skyward.

Cyclone and Warlock monitor, tense:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 126.

They shoot into an ever-compressing canyon, hauling ass over the broken landscape, snowy trees flashing just beneath...

Training times ten. The valley walls are tight, the high speed and sharp turns resulting in higher Gs.TBD ROUTE

ORANGE ROUTE

The physical pressure on the team alone is intense, requiring every ounce of concentration, skill and endurance.

Each of the pilots contends with the intensity in their own way. Training was nothing compared to this. They are all feeling it - Rooster most of all.

His wing clips tree tops as he banks at 6 Gs.

A257 INT. F-18S INTERCUT A257

PAYBACK’S POV of Rooster in front of him.

Rooster in his cockpit, eyes focused, sweat beading, breathing shallow, slashing through the canyon as fast as he can go. And it isn’t fast enough.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 127.

A257 CONTINUED: A257

ON MAVERICK, hearing:

ORANGE ROUTE

Bob looks back for a visual.

B257 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - MORNING B257

The satellite image of Maverick’s teams shows the formation is breaking up, with two planes lagging further and further behind.

[NOTE: The following is optional. A simple edit can show the airfield with routine activity and:]

ALARM.

CLOSE ON: The satellite image of an enemy airfield we’ve seen many times - the unmistakable deltas of newer fifth gen planes amidst older F-14s and F-16s. Only this time the image is live. We see people moving on the ground. Running.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 128.

B257 CONTINUED: B257

CLOSE ON Hondo, quietly nervous for his friend.

C257 INT. ROOSTER'S F-18 C257

Rooster is struggling to hold it together.

ORANGE ROUTE

CLOSE ON: Rooster’s hand on the throttle, unable to push it any harder.

A275 EXT. ENEMY AIRFIELD - MORNING A275

Watching from a short distance as SILHOUETTED AIR CREWS scramble to prep F-14 Tomcats for takeoff.

Then the first Tomahawk missile impacts, decimating a hangar.

Everyone on edge, all eyes on the screens where the Enemy Airfield VANISHES in a series of heat blooms.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 129.

AA278 EXT. SKIES/INT. F-18S INTERCUT - MORNING AA278

Rooster and Payback are lagging further and further behind.

Beneath their plane, a FLIR Targeting Pod rotates, angling its laser lens towards the target, then:

An alarm flashes on FANBOY’S PANEL.

As Fanboy works the problem:

ORANGE ROUTE

A278 EXT. SKIES - MORNING A278

Lethal looking fifth generation fighter aircraft streak across the heavens, in the flesh and on the hunt.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 130.

B278 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THOEDORE ROOSEVELT - MORNING B278

ALARM. On another screen, two bandits are headed for Maverick and his team.

AA278 INT. MAVERICK’S F18 AA278

Maverick looks at his clock.

AB278 INT. ROOSTER'S F-18 AB278

Rooster is sweating, straining through the turns, hand frozen on the throttle.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 131.

AC278 EXT. PAYBACK/FANBOY F-18 AC278

The targeting pod jutters, stabilizes.

B278 INT. F-18S INTERCUT - MORNING B278

CLOSE ON ROOSTER, breathing tight, blinking sweat from his eyes. All sound falls away. Radio chatter, his engines.

And finally...

Rooster pushes the throttle.

Payback watches as Rooster pulls away. He pushes his own throttle, but Rooster is still increasing his speed.

Rooster has crosses over to another place, his flying on instinct, focused in a way we’ve never seen.

Now Payback is struggling to keep up.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 132.

C278 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT C278

All eyes are watching those two bogies on course to intercept.

Comms-crew Tech 2 spots that Rooster has caught up.

D278 INT. ROOSTER'S F-18 D278

Rooster comes around a bend and sees Maverick and Phoenix’s planes up ahead.

E278 INT. MAVERICK'S F-18 - ORANGE/PURPLE POP BOWL LOCATION E278

Maverick and Phoenix’s F-18s roll inverted and crest a mountain, dropping into a valley.

Phoenix holds their arc steady, as Bob works the FLIR...

A279 INT. MAVERICK'S F-18 A279

TONE.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 133.

A279 CONTINUED: A279

Maverick releases.

B279 EXT. UNDER MAVERICK’S F-18 B279

Two super bunker busters drops from the wings of Mavericks F- 18, fins adjusting as they acquire laser guidance.

C279 EXT. SKIES/INT. MAV/PHOENIX F-18'S C279

CLOSE ON: Maverick snaps the safety paddle on his stick and pulls back as far as he can.

BLUE ROUTE

Maverick and Phoenix both wrench jets into a body-smashing climb - excessive Gs. Only this time it’s for keeps as a mountain face is coming up fast.

CLOSE ON PHOENIX, her face straining.

Bob struggles against the Gs to keep the laser on target.

CLOSE ON: Maverick’s G meter as it climbs toward, then past, 7.5 Gs...

BOB’S POV - the world becomes pixilated, tunnel vision creeping in as he grays out. We’ve seen it before.

He bears down, squeezing blood into his head to stay conscious.

D279 EXT. VALLEY BASIN - MORNING D279

Maverick’s bunker buster hits home.

E279 INT. PHOENIX’S F-18 - BLUE ROUTE E279

Phoenix is pulling back as hard as she can as:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 134.

E279 CONTINUED: E279

The target is obscured by a massive plume of smoke.

F279 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT F279

Far from relief in the room, the tension only increases.

AG279 EXT. MOUNTAINSIDE AG279

CLOSE ON A radar control SAM array. Two F18’s climbing skyward in the distance beyond.

The array comes automatically to life, swivels and FIRES.

G279 INT/EXT. MAV/PHOENIX/BOB F-18S INTERCUT - POP BOWL LOCATIONG279

ALARM

Maverick and Phoenix bank hard and fire countermeasures - flares filling the air as SAMs streak toward them.

H279 INT. ROOSTER’S F-18 - MORNING - ORANGE ROUTE H279

I279 EXT. SKIES ABOVE VALLEY - MORNING -ORANGE/PURPLE ROUTE I279

Rooster and Payback crest the mountaintop just as Maverick and Phoenix did as:

J279 INT/EXT. MAV/PHOENIX/BOB F-18S INTERCUT J279

Maverick and Phoenix fly for their lives, dodging missiles as they race for the valley below.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 135.

Rooster rolls in, putting nose on target, a scorching 45’ dive...

Rooster’s hurtling headlong, altimeter dropping 6000, 5000...

ANGLE ON: The FLIR on the belly of their plane fails.

The target is coming up fast, Rooster blinks away the sweat in his eyes.

Rooster lets his bunkers buster fly before releasing the safety and yanking back on the stick, trying to keep from face planting into a mountain.

The Bunker Busters vanish into the cloud left by Maverick’s bombs. An agonizing stillness follows.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 136.

AA286 INT/EXT. MAV/PHOENIX/BOB F-18S INTERCUT AA286

Maverick and Phoenix are fighting for their lives, ALARMS BLARING, SAMs everywhere.

Rooster BATTLES his jet, climbing, climbing, with Payback right beside him as the belly of Rooster’s jet brushes snow off of tree tops and into the blue.

ROOSTER POV: He’s graying out.

A FAMILIAR ALARM SOUNDS. A SAM IS COMING RIGHT FOR HIM.

Just as a RIPPLING SUBTERRANEAN EXPLOSION heaves the earth and the underground facility IMPLODES on itself.

A289 INT. HANGMAN'S F-18 - MORNING A289

Hangman sits in his waiting bird, listening to the game on the radio.

Muted reactions from all in the room.

But Cyclone is listening to the radio - pilots breathing, shouting, straining, cursing. It’s hell.

HONDO squeezes his fist tightly, feeling something crack. He opens his hand to see the crystal of his stopwatch is crushed, the second hand frozen. And omen.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 137.

AA290 INT. ROOSTER/PAYBACK FANBOY F18S AA290

Their turn to dodge and weave, firing counter-measures, straining, cursing, grunting, breathing heavy in their cockpits, working to outmaneuver the agile, angry missiles.

Rooster GASPS for breath as his vision returns. Another alarm.

Another alarm, another missile, as:

He looks back and to his right, sees the missile coming. He’s a goner, until:

ANOTHER F18 fills his sight picture.

A290 INT. MAVERICK’S F-18 (OLD SC B289) - POP BOWL LOCATION A290

Maverick releases flares, but he’s too late. And he knows it.

The missile SLAMS into Maverick’s engine. A FIREBALL SHREDS the splintering rear of the jet.

B295 INT. ROOSTER'S F-18 - MORNING -RED ROUTE B295

C295 EXT. SKIES OVER TARGET VALLEY - MORNING - RED ROUTE C295

Phoenix and Payback SOAR HIGHER, seeing Mav’s FLAMING PLANE veer off course below.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 138.

D295 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - RED ROUTED295

The room reacts with shock.

CLOSE ON Hondo, reflecting on his last moment with Mav.

AF295 EXT. SKIES AF295

The remaining jets dive into the valley and below the SAMs and their radar.

The SAM arrays go still.

BF295 INT. F18S INTERCUT BF295

F295 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT F295

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 139.

F295 CONTINUED: F295

G295 INT. F-18S - INTERCUT G295

And off of Rooster’s eyes we CUT TO:

A SCORCHED PARACHUTE drapes the ragged ice... as ANGLE REVEALS Maverick lies sprawled, still clipped in, alive.

At the distant RUMBLING of the facility implosion, he stirs, coughs, tastes blood in his mouth. He looks down, sees his radio is shattered.

He hears the sound of distant helicopter, growing louder, realizes he’s out in the open.

He has to move. He scrambled to detach his chute.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 140.

A296 EXT. SKIES - MORNING A296

A MENACING HIND HELICOPTER, a venerable cold-war relic that will never die, bristling with guns and rockets.

B296 EXT. FROZEN LAKE - MORNING B296

Maverick is running with nowhere to go - the barren trees providing little cover. He’s a sitting duck.

The Hind comes into view and her .50 cal rotary cannon opens fire, CHEWING INTO the ice and trees and snow with a HELLSTORM OF LEAD. The angle is bad and the hind has to come around, buying Maverick precious seconds.

He reaches a GNARLED FALLEN TREE at lake’s edge. He tries to wedge himself behind it, if only to hide. Nothing out here will stop that cannon.

Over Maverick, the Hind wheels slowly around, searching for him. It’s only a matter of time.

C296 EXT. HIND POV - MORNING C296

CREW POV of the ground below. No sign of Maverick. But they’ll find him soon enough.

Maverick stays pressed behind the tree as the Hind approaches, flies overhead.

A298 EXT. HIND POV - MORNING A298

CREW POV over the barrel of the cannon. There’s Maverick. Exposed. Done for.

A HELMETED CREWMAN - his face hidden from us - swivels the gun patiently. HIS HAND CHARGES THE GUN.

B298 EXT. FROZEN LAKE - MORNING B298

Maverick isn’t dying on his back. He leaps up, runs, as a stream of hot red tracers shred the log and follow him like a laser pointer, gaining on him until:

BOOM. The Hind explodes in mid air.

Maverick stops in his tracks. What the-

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 141.

B298 CONTINUED: B298

An F-18 streaks past.

Rooster banks, looking down. He can see Mav’s chute, but not Mav. Then an ALARM BLARES.

A299 EXT. MOUNTAINTOP - MORNING A299

A radar guided missile launcher, it’s silhouette familiar to us by now, swivels around and lets fly with a SAM, traveling at MACH 5.

B299 EXT. SKIES OVER MOUNTAINS - MORNING B299

Rooster throws flares, tries to evade, but he too is doomed.

IMPACT.

C299 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT C299

Cyclone pounds a fist on the panel.

D299 INT. PHOENIX'S F-18 D299

Phoenix waits to hear her friend’s voice in vain.

E299 INT. HANGMAN'S F-18 - MORNING E299

The shock on his face as he hears:

Hangman hits his comm.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 142.

E299 CONTINUED: E299

A painfully long wait.

Hangman hangs his head.

Scrambling out of the rubble, Maverick sees Rooster’s F-18 ON FIRE and trailing heavy smoke, as Rooster EJECTS.

His jet vanishes behind the ridge before slamming into the ground, sending up a plume of BLACK SMOKE.

Maverick immediately starts running, tracking the path of Rooster’s parachute...

Gripped with panic, Maverick sprints through the trees, seeing Rooster’s chute disappear among them...

He emerges in a patch of clearing where Rooster’s on his knees, burying his parachute, still recovering from a brutal landing. Both men are pretty banged up, exhausted, but relieved to see one another.

Then Maverick shoves him.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 143.

Whatever Maverick’s next words were, they hang in his throat. The lesson he’s been teaching has at long last landed.

Maverick waits. Rooster sighs.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 144.

A distant THUP-THUP of ENEMY HELICOPTERS...

SCOPE POV: Chaos and the fog of war. The airstrip’s runways are cratered, hangars collapsed. ENEMY BASE TROOPS are scattered trying to put out fires...

Mav sweeps the area with his scope, then looks at Rooster.

But Maverick’s look says he is.

Mav slinks along a thicket of trees by a perimeter fence. Near them, a FUEL DEPOT burns out of control, spewing heavy black smoke over the area, covering it in a THICK HAZE.

Mav uses his scope to take another look...

He hands him the scope, nods him in the right direction...

SCOPE POV: An open-ended CEMENT AIRCRAFT BUNKER, where an F- 14 TOMCAT sits. Clearly prepped for flight, loaded with missiles, and with support equipment still hooked up.

Mav shrugs.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 145.

Mav heads off, leaving Rooster to contemplate:

And he follows.

Chaos all around in the aftermath of the missile strike. Maverick and Rooster walk briskly toward the plane, praying no one will notice.

A307 INT. AIRCRAFT BUNKER - MOMENTS LATER - MORNING A307

The jet has a START-CART the size of a dumpster, attached via a large power cable and huge forced-air induction hose.

Maverick inspects the start cart. Hopes. He pushes the button and it growls to life. Thank God.

Geared up with harnesses and masks, Mav waves Rooster to the Start-Cart.

Maverick goes for the plane. Rooster lingers.

MAVERICK * Tell me later. *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 146.

ROOSTER * There may not be a later. *

Mav waits anxiously. *

MAVERICK * About what? *

ROOSTER * About the academy. You were right * to pull my papers. I wasn’t ready. *

ROOSTER * Thank you for saving my life. *

MAVERICK * I haven’t saved it yet. * (points to the cart) * Remember what I told you. *

And he rushes for the plane. *

Maverick climbs the ladder, hops in the driver’s seat, closes the forward step and reorients himself to the cockpit as Rooster closes the ladder.

Rooster pulls the CHOCK BLOCKS from the wheels and then runs to the start cart.

Maverick gives Rooster the air signal. Rooster flips switch.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 147.

It gets to 120 and Rooster gives the thumbs up.

Maverick starts the engine. It sputters, fails to start.

Enemy truck drives by the hangar.

Mav hits the start button again. The engine whines slowly to life.

Rooster rushes to unhook the start cart from the plane.

Rooster scrambles up the onto the F14 and into the cockpit. Rooster looks at the cockpit instruments.

Maverick pushes forward on the throttle.

Rooster buckles up.

The jets exits the hangar. The canopy closes.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 148.

Maverick looks at cockpit instruments. Maverick applies the brakes.

Rooster spots an enemy tank coming towards them.

The tank passes them and Rooster looks down as he salutes.

Maverick switches to engage the WINGS. The wings expand.

Maverick pushes on the throttle. The afterburners go on full.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 149.

The jet begins to accelerate down the runway.

Mav squeezes every ounce of lift from the plane

The F-14 soars into the air.

CLOSE ON: Rooster’s ESAT on his harness.

Rooster thinks a beat and activates it.

A new alarm sounds.

Everyone trades confounded looks, confused. Cyclone and Warlock move to look at the screen. Sure enough, a dot representing Rooster is hauling ass toward the sea.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 150.

Warlock and Cyclone share a look.

The both look at the dot on the screen. Hondo stifles a knowing smile.

Warlock almost smiles, until:

Warlock and Cyclone share a new look this one of grim certainty.

Rooster surveys the back seat in frustration, no idea what’s what or what to do. There’s a big circular RIO DISPLAY in front of him, but it’s dark.

MAVERICK * Rooster. Get us in touch with the * boat. *

Rooster toggles the radio. *

ROOSTER * I’m working on it. Everything’s * dead back here. What do I do? Talk * me through this. *

MAVERICK * First, the radio. Throw the UHF two * circuit breaker. *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 151.

Rooster looks. *

ROOSTER * There’s three hundred breakers back * here, anything more specific? *

MAVERICK * I dunno, that was your dad’s * department. *

ROOSTER * Alright, I’ll figure it out. *

Rooster starts toggling breakers, then sees: *

Maverick looks and, to his horror, sees TWO FIFTH GEN FIGHTER* approaching. *

MAVERICK * What do you mean what do we do? * Those are fifth gen fighters. We’re * in a fifty year old aircraft. *

The planes close into an escort formation. *

ROOSTER * Well here they come. *

MAVERICK * Just be cool. If they knew who we * were we’d be dead already. Masks * on. *

They scramble to put on their masks. The lead enemy plane * pulls along side. *

Rooster and Mav wave. Maverick signals, points to his ear and* gives a thumbs down. “Radio out.” *

The enemy pilot signals. *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 152.

ROOSTER * What’s that mean? *

MAVERICK * I have no idea. *

The pilot signals something else. *

ROOSTER * What’s that? *

MAVERICK * Nope. I don’t know what that one is * either. *

Rooster watches the second plane drop back. *

ROOSTER * His wingman is moving into a * weapon’s envelope. *

MAVERICK * If anything happens, grab those * rings above your head. You see * them? That’s the ejection handle. *

ROOSTER * Bull. Shit. The chutes in this * thing were probably packed in the * late eighties. *

MAVERICK * You have a point. * (alt) * Good point. *

ROOSTER * How fast is this thing? *

MAVERICK * Very fast. *

ROOSTER * We’re ten minutes from the carrier. * Can we outrun these guys? *

MAVERICK * We can’t outrun missiles and guns. * (alt) * We can’t outrun missiles and * bullets. *

ROOSTER * Then it’s a dogfight. *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 153.

MAVERICK * In an F-14. Against fifth gen * fighters. *

ROOSTER * It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot. *

And that stops Mav cold. The pilot in the other plane signals* again. *

MAVERICK * Rooster... *

ROOSTER * You’d take ‘em on if I wasn’t here. * (alt) * Go after ‘em. *

MAVERICK * But you are here. *

ROOSTER * You’re Pete Maverick Mitchell, god * dammit. You shot down three MIGs in * one’s these. You can do this. Now * take us home. *

Maverick grips the stick and throttle, unsure of what to do. * The enemy pilot begins to distance himself. *

STAGE 1 – ABOVE MOUNTAINS (GREEN WITH SNOW)

SET #1: VR202 (SKY) - CHINA MOA

Maverick pulls a hard right while opening fire at the Fifth Gen in a pre-emptive attack, ripping open the left engine and sending it into a descent.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 154.

The second Fifth Gen is surprised. Mav continues to move. The Fifth Gen recovers and launches a heat-seeking missile.

Maverick dives down towards the smoking Fifth Gen and breaks left directly in front of it. The missile heading for them diverts to the higher temp Fifth Gen destroying it in a colossal explosion as the F-14 narrowly misses the blast.

The Fifth Gen pilot shakes his head, angry.

END STAGE 1 – ABOVE MOUNTAINS (GREEN WITH SNOW)

AA313 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - MORNINGAA313

Reactions from the room - a few men even cheer. But not Cyclone, Warlock or Hondo.

BB313 EXT. SKIES/INT. F-14 BB313

STAGE 2 – ABOVE MOUNTAINS (GREEN WITH SNOW)

SET #1: VR202 (SKY) - CHINA MOA

The Fifth Gen drops into frame, fires another missile. The F- 14 is in a dive.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 155.

BB313 CONTINUED: BB313

Maverick pulls the emergency wing deploy lever, immediately deploying the F-14’s wing spread sending the F-14 into a neck- breaking vertical climb.

Rooster shoots off the flares and the missile detonates just below the F-14 as they pull upwards.

Maverick uses their energy to roll inverted, back into burner, pulling down and around on the Fifth Gen putting it in their target. Mav fires the sidewinder. Missile lock. A moment of celebration, they’re going to get a splash two.

END STAGE 2 – ABOVE MOUNTAINS (GREEN WITH SNOW)

CC313 EXT. SKIES CC313

STAGE 3 – ABOVE MOUNTAINS (GREEN WITH SNOW)

SET #1: VR202 (SKY) - CHINA MOA

The Fifth Gen pulls a maneuver that we’ve never seen before: It uses its thrust vectors to fly vertical and then in a close-range LOOP AROUND THE MISSILE.

DD313 INT. F-14/EXT. SKIES INTERCUT DD313

Whip pan to Rooster and Maverick who have never seen such a move.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 156.

DD313 CONTINUED: DD313

Oh shit, do some of that pilot shit.

They fly by the Fifth Gen so it’s behind them again.

END STAGE 3 – ABOVE MOUNTAINS (GREEN WITH SNOW)

STAGE 4 – GREEN CANYON

SET #2: VR202 (CANYON) - MIDDLE FORK FEATHER RIVER

Maverick pushes for the advantage again.

Maverick flies upwards then splits the throttle pushing the F- 14 into a pirouette at full power.

The F-14 comes down behind the Fifth Gen and Maverick fires a missile.

Missile lock. Again, it looks like they’ve got him.

The Fifth Gen releases flares in a firework display of defense that takes out the missile.

END STAGE 4 – GREEN CANYON

STAGE 5 – GREEN CANYON

SET: MIDDLE FORK FEATHER RIVER

Maverick pursues the Fifth Gen as it dives down into a canyon.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 157.

EE313 INT. CANYON EE313

In a close-range weaving dogfight chase Maverick fires GUNS at the Fifth Gen.

The Fifth Gen evades, pulling severe G’s around the bends, working like crazy.

Mav’s rounds keep missing as the Fifth Gen continues to slice through the canyon. Mav hustles to keep up and get the Fifth jet in his target.

Mav and Rooster struggle against the G-forces, no G-suits to aid them, huffing breaths to ward off a blackout.

Mav’s rounds are almost at zero. He knows he’s down to his last attack. The Fifth Gen continues to weave in and out of their target, in and out.

Mav focuses in and fires his last bullets. He HITS the Fifth Gen with all of them. It descends and explodes as it crashes into the ground.

A313 INT. COMMAND CENTER - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - MORNING A313

Everyone reacts to the radio call that comes through:

END STAGE 5 – GREEN CANYON

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 158.

A313 CONTINUED: A313

Cyclone and Warlock share a look, stunned. Hondo smiles.

B313 EXT. SKIES - MORNING B313

STAGE 6 – GREEN CANYON TO OCEAN

SET #2: VR202 (CANYON) - TBD

The F-14 roars into frame transitioning from mountains to the ocean below.

END STAGE 6 – GREEN CANYON TO OCEAN

STAGE 7 - OCEAN

SET #3: PISMO BEACH (OPTION 1) OR SAN CLEMENTE (OPTION 2)

MAVERICK * We can’t outrun this guy. We have * to eject. *

ROOSTER * MAV- *

MAVERICK * We need altitude. Pull that * ejection handle the second I tell * you- *

ROOSTER * MAV, WAIT- *

MAVERICK * THERE’S NO OTHER WAY. *

Mav pulls back on the stick. As they climb: *

Rooster grabs the handle. Nothing happens. *

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 159.

ROOSTER * IT’S NOT WORKING. *

And Maverick realizes they’re doomed. *

END STAGE 7 - OCEAN

STAGE 8 - OCEAN

SET #3: PISMO BEACH (OPTION 1) OR SAN CLEMENTE (OPTION 2)

The Fifth Gen flies right past them canopy to canopy, spinning upwards and diving back down on them.

Maverick weaves in hard cuts back n’ forth to evade as the Fifth Gen fires bullets in a streak across the ocean.

Gunfire finally hits the F-14 as it flies low across the water. Mav keeps pulling hard right.

Maverick does the only thing he can do and pulls up hard to escape the Fifth Gen, but the Fifth Gen follows.

Another MISSILE LOCK. The sound of doom.

The Fifth Gen’s missile appears from its belly.

And suddenly the Fifth Gen jet EXPLODES along with its missile. An F-18 streaks out from the shrapnel and smoke.

END STAGE 8 - OCEAN

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 160.

Hangman smiles.

STAGE 9 - OCEAN

SET #3: PISMO BEACH (OPTION 1) OR SAN CLEMENTE (OPTION 2)

As he pulls along side.

Maverick and Rooster watch as Hangman’s F-18 CIRCLES back, doing a hotshot twirl of the wings, a victory roll.

END STAGE 9 - OCEAN

All eyes are on the horizon. Two planes inbound. As Cyclone and Warlock are leaving the room:

CLOSE ON: Hondo, realizing. Without a word, he runs from the command center.

Hondo emerges on the deck where the crew is awaiting Hangman’s arrival. Emergency crews are standing by.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 161.

The crew just stare at him.

The crew realizes and scrambles.

Cyclone, Warlock and OFFICERS stand in the BRIDGE, BINOCS UP, watching as Hangman’s F-18 comes in for a landing.

CLOSE ON: His tail hook snagging the arrest cable, his plane jerking to a stop.

The Deck Crew rush in to clear the way for Maverick.

A ballet of precise emergency response. Hundreds of SAILORS work to remove Trap-Wires and raise Barricade Stanchions, lift up a 15-foot-high NYLON BARRICADE, stretching a massive net across the width of the landing deck.

The F-14 circles.

A320 INT. BRIDGE/F-14 - MORNING A320

And in this moment of supreme tension, Maverick gets a little glimmer in his eye. One we’ve seen before.

Cyclone and Warlock share a look. Is this a joke?

B320 INT. F-14 B320

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 162.

B320 CONTINUED: B320

C320 INT. BRIDGE - MORNING C320

Cyclone has the radio now.

D320 INT. F-14 D320

Maverick is smiling, speaking in broken jibbering.

Cyclone sighs, nods begrudgingly to the Comm Tech who, despite everything, has to grin a little as:

A321 INT. F-14 A321

Rooster knocks his helmet repeatedly on the canopy.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 163.

B321 INT. BRIDGE - USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT - MORNING B321

Maverick blazes by the tower at high speed, rocking the tower. Cyclone shakes his head.

C321 EXT./INT. F-14 - NEARING USS THEODORE R - MORNING C321

Mav’s working the stick and feathering the throttle.

He lowers the landing gear. A new light comes on.

Rooster looks at the carrier, then out at the sea.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 164.

And an engine fails.

The deck of the Roosevelt now approaching rapidly... as it slips beneath the NOSE of the jet.

The engine cuts out and everything goes SILENT.

As the battered Tomcat SMASHES DOWN, sliding across the deck on its nose, SHOWERING SPARKS, SPEWING SMOKE, until it SLAMS INTO THE NYLON NET, ripping it forwards before snapping to a violent halt. Finally. Safe home.

EMERGENCY CREWS rush the jet as Mav and Rooster climb out. Maverick and Rooster check on each other.

Phoenix, Bob, Payback, Fanboy and Hondo all come rushing.

Maverick and Hondo reunite.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 165.

Then other SAILORS arrive, mobbing them.

Maverick gazes up to Vultures Row, spying Cyclone and Warlock. Cyclone gives him a simple, grateful nod.

Rooster turns to see Hangman arriving. His face mock-falls:

They shakes hands. That’s enough.

Hangman smiles.

Phoenix steps in.

And Hangman’s smile fades. Just a bit. Rooster turns, looking for Maverick in the crowd. Finds him, pushes toward him.

Maverick turns, come face to face with Mav.

And Maverick grabs him before he can say another word, pulls him close. Rooster is not sure what to do for a moment. Then he hugs him back.

And as the two men embrace, shutting out the rest of the world we PULL BACK TO:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 166.

Filled with jubilant SAILORS, the whole ship celebrates the mission’s return. Maverick joins Rooster and Hangman, sharing laughter and embraces. All of them, allies at last.

A327 EXT. HARD DECK - LATE AFTERNOON A327

To establish.

B327 INT. HARD DECK - LATE AFTERNOON B327

The place is quiet. Almost deserted.

Maverick enters, expecting to find Penny, surprised to find A BARTENDER, JIMMY. Off Maverick’s expression:

TIME CUT:

Maverick at the bar now.

Maverick nods. He looks around the bar, heads for the door. With nowhere else to go, he goes:

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 167.

Where Maverick holds a photo of the moment on the Roosevelt with Rooster and the others, adding it to his wall of memories, medals, accomplishments - a life well-lived, if somewhat incomplete.

Among the pictures is one of Goose and Maverick in the bloom of their youth - their whole lives ahead of them.

Maverick steps back, takes in the space - the P-51, the airstream, the bikes...

The sound of a car OS. He turns in time to see it coming to a stop. The door opens and out climbs Rooster. From the passenger door emerges Phoenix.

Emerging from the back is Amelia and, finally Penny.

She takes in the sight of the hangar - along with everyone else - clearly a place they have never seen before.

CLOSE ON: Mav and Penny as they meet by the P-51.

Maverick nods. A confession.

They both smile. After a beat.

They kiss.

ALTS

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 168.

END ALTS

TIME CUT as Phoenix holds two model planes, demonstrating air- to-air combat to a very interested Amelia.

As Maverick walks Penny around the other lady in his life - the P-51.

As Rooster looks over Maverick’s workspace, the pictures of Maverick and Ice, of Maverick and Goose, of Rooster as a boy... Topped off by Maverick and Rooster on the carrier.

Rooster turns, looks at the make-shift family taking shape in this makeshift home...

And he smiles.

As the sound of a roaring engine takes us to:

Penny snugly in the back seat, Maverick at the controls.

CHERRY 11.25.19 - OFFICIAL 169.

And that glimmer comes to his eye.

And he yanks the stick hard.

And the plane banks away from us with Penny screaming, laughing.

But mostly screaming.