Tom Cruise
U.S. actor Tom Cruise poses for photographers at a British screening of the film "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" in London, Britain July 25, 2015. Reuters/Neil Hall

New cast members have joined “Top Gun 2.” Tom Cruise is back and he is reprising his role from the 1986 movie. The new characters include pilots and a love interest for Miles Teller’s character.

According to a report by Deadline, the new cast members are Thomasin McKenzie, Charles Parnell, Jay Ellis, Bashir Salahuddin, Danny Ramirez, Monica Barbaro. Filming for the popular upcoming movie has already begun.

McKenzie will play the daughter of Jennifer Connelly’s character. The names of all the new characters are currently being kept under wraps.

Parnell will play an admiral and Salahuddin will be an engineer. There will also be a set of new pilots in the film. Ellis, Ramirez, and Barbaro, will be the new pilots.

According to a report by Variety, Barbaro will be playing the love interest of Teller’s character. Teller is also a pilot in the film, and he will be the son of Maverick’s late friend.

Goose (Anthony Edwards) was Maverick’s partner in the 1986 film, which ended with Cruise’s character deciding to become a Top Gun instructor. The upcoming film should focus on the challenges Maverick will face while training a new generation of fighter pilots, which includes the son of his friend.

There was a love story in the 1986 film as well. Maverick and his civilian flight instructor Charlie (Kelly McGillis) fell in love in that film. This time around, the romance will be between two young pilots, which should balance out all the action in the movie.

The plot of the upcoming sequel will be about the challenges the pilots face due to the increasing use of technology. Top Gun has always been about training pilots how to dogfight at close range, but warfare has now evolved with drones and computers taking over.

“Top Gun 2” is being directed by Joseph Kosinski. The film is set to be released on July 12, 2019 in the US.