The Cannes Film Festival literally kicked into overdrive on Wednesday when Tom Cruise and his Top Gun: Maverick team landed at the Palais for a high-octane premiere that included eight fighters approaching the event, emitting smoke in red and blue for to match the colors of the French flag.
The actor was already destined to be the biggest attraction of Cannes 2022 long before he came out on Croisette, where Top Gun: Maverick received scattered promotions from Paramount before its global release on May 25. But even by his own standards at the festival, Cruz received a kind of rapturous reception that could only be appropriate for one of Hollywood’s most successful and world-famous stars. And after the last frame appeared on the screen near 10 pm, the audience responded with a six-minute standing ovation, which brought Cruz to tears, closing an epic day.
After taking part in a career retrospective earlier in the day – “Master Class Conversation” with French journalist Didier Alush at the 1,000-seat Debussy Theater – Cruz received another tribute ahead of a screening hosted by Canned Festival Director Thierry Fremo. in honor of his long career at the heart of international pop culture. Fremaux made remarks (in French) and presented a 13-minute clip showing each of his filmography.
Cruz hugged Fremo (who encouraged the audience to drop their phones and fold their arms) before picking up the microphone to share remarks, inviting all the directors present to stand and be recognized and call close associates to Paramount. “They’ve all worked so hard to bring this to the big screen and it’s a dream to be here,” Cruz said. “I will never forget tonight.”
El Fanning may not either. The actress, L’Oreal’s ambassador and a frequent visitor to Cannes, was housed in the palace and received a special greeting from Cruz. He recalled meeting her while working with her sister, Dakota, on the 2005 War of the Worlds blockbuster.
Then he turned his attention back to the festival and his love of cinema. “Thank you for this time,” he said. “We’re making these films for all of you.” Fremaux then offered a special surprise by announcing that the festival was presenting the Palme d’Or to Cruz. Cruz, who seemed speechless, was greeted with “Wow” as the audience rose to a standing ovation, one of the only recent memories of an actor receiving a standing ovation before the first frame of the film came out.
But before all that happened, Cruz arrived on the red carpet in Cannes just before 7pm and spent a healthy 10 minutes traveling up and down the street to greet fans, some of whom waited for hours in the blazing sun on the Cote d’Azur. to make the movie star appear. He was worth his time signing autographs and DVDs and posing for selfies.
As can be seen on the big screen of the Palais, he had to be pulled away from the crowd of fans to make his way in front of the group of photographers and pose next to his director Joseph Kosinski and blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer. They were joined by Top Gun colleagues: Maverick stars Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, John Ham (who fixed Cruise’s bow tie), Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis, Lewis Pullman and others.
Top Gun: Maverick has won rave reviews from critics since making its world premiere earlier this month in San Diego on top of retired aircraft carrier USS Midway.
“Your enjoyment of Top Gun: Maverick may depend on how willing you are to turn off the real world and indulge in the magic of movie stars.” THR chief film critic David Rooney. “Which abounds in this superb sequel – directed with virtuoso technical skill, propulsive tempo and flying sequences on the edge of the seat by Joseph Kosinski.
Joseph Kosinski, Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Greg Tarzan Davis, Lewis Pullman and John Hamm attend the Top Gun: Maverick screening at the 75th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2022 in Cannes. Dominic Chariot / WireImage
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