Maverick Flies Again
Tom Cruise is putting the Top Gun squadron back together.
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Today in Free Expression, columnist James B. Meigs argues that dropping out of the AI race is far riskier than AI itself; Shawn Regan says the U.S. should access Greenland’s critical resources through commerce, not conquest; and Tevi Troy cheers on President Trump’s call for a national Sabbath.
But first, Maverick, you are cleared for take-off . . .
Bombs Away
—Matthew Hennessey
Proving, if proving were necessary, that Hollywood can never leave easy box-office money on the flight deck, Paramount confirmed this week that a new Top Gun film is in the works.
Tom Cruise will reprise his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the good-looking, gum-cracking naval aviator who routinely flouts the established rules of military decorum. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer will ensure that audiences get all the jet wash, beach volleyball and sweaty smooching they desire. The movie could land in theaters as early as next year.
Red warning lights should be flashing in the Paramount control tower. The third entry in a film trilogy is always the weakest. “Return of the Jedi.” “The Godfather Part III.” “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.” All stinkers.
There are notable exceptions. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” defied the trend. So did “Toy Story 3.” But you’re testing your luck when you fly that third mission. Things could go badly wrong. The bogies always get a say in a dogfight.
If anyone can avoid a bolter, Mr. Cruise can. At 63, he remains a bankable—and believable—action star. His Mission: Impossible series has delivered eight films (so far), and I don’t recall anyone complaining that this or that Ethan Hunt caper failed to measure up. Nobody in Hollywood goes for quality like Mr. Cruise. He simply doesn’t show up in films that aren’t aiming for greatness. He has the need for speed.
The mix of action, romance and hoo-ah patriotism in the Top Gun franchise is a proven winner. But putting payload on the target for a third time is always going to be a risky mission.
The financial incentive to get back in the cockpit is obvious. “Top Gun: Maverick,” the 2022 sequel to the original 1986 blockbuster, grossed $1.5 billion globally on a budget of only $170 million. There isn’t a film studio or commercial enterprise anywhere in the world that wouldn’t send a squadron of flying aces out to shoot down a profit margin like that.
No script yet exists for what may or may not end up being called “Top Gun 3.” According to the U.K.’s Daily Mirror, the story will track an “existential crisis” for Mr. Cruise’s character “as he navigates a changing military landscape.” That’s pretty vague. Screenwriter Ehren Kruger, who co-wrote “Top Gun: Maverick,” is believed to be hard at work fleshing out the story.
It’s safe to assume that Maverick will hunger to get back in the air. Some young hotshot will say Maverick no longer has what it takes. You can bet that a woman—hopefully Jennifer Connelly—still believes in him. When all is said and done, Maverick will complete the mission. And he’ll do it his way.
The last sound those bogies will hear is the box-office cash register going boom.
Sorry, You Got the Job: The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh on Wednesday to chair the Federal Reserve in what the Journal called “a party-line vote that reflected how tensions with the White House have dragged the Fed deeper into the political fray.” Best of luck to Mr. Warsh, who now gets the privilege of trying to do difficult work under impossible conditions. His predecessor, William McChesney Martin, said the Fed’s job is to take the punch bowl away just when the party is warming up. Mr. Warsh may soon find himself sneaking sips from that punch bowl just to make it through the day. — M.H.
Chief: Country star Eric Church is an Appalachian State grad, but his heart bleeds Tar Heel blue. The singer gave a commencement address at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill this weekend. “Your generation faces a temptation no generation before has ever faced: the temptation to perform for everyone and belong to no one, to be globally visible and locally invisible, to have thousands of followers and no one who actually knows where you live. Resist this. Plant yourself somewhere. Put down roots with the full intention of growing there. Learn the actual names, not usernames, of the people around you. Volunteer. Coach the team. Build the thing your community needs, even if the Internet will never see it.” Check out the whole thing. — M.H.
Howling: The lupine at Isle Royale are no longer supine. The moose population of the rough island in northwestern Lake Superior thrived for decades. But scientists estimate there are now 37 wolves at the 132,000-acre national park, the highest level since the 1970s. The moose count has declined 75% since 2019, to 524. Scientists who study the predator-prey dynamic between the species consider this a healthier balance. Great. No study necessary to conclude that such a wolf-heavy island in one of the coldest areas of the country wouldn’t be a great place for humans. — Jack Butler
Don’t Snuff Out the AI Data-Center Boom
James B. Meigs
Across the U.S., people are fighting to block the construction of AI data centers. They fear high electricity prices, depleted water supplies and various doomsday scenarios.
We’ve seen this story before. In the late 20th century, Germany led the world in building nuclear plants—until activists shut them all down. The resulting high energy prices kneecapped Germany’s economy. Let’s not make the same mistake.
Read James’s Column ⧁
Greenland Is Open for Business
Shawn Regan
President Trump is right that Greenland matters strategically. But the U.S. doesn’t need to annex the island to benefit from its minerals. In market economies, countries gain access to resources through investment, trade and commercial partnerships, not territorial conquest.
Read Shawn’s Article ⧁
A National Sabbath for American Jews
Tevi Troy
As someone who observes all of the biblical and rabbinical commandments, I know how hard it is to be absolutely perfect on the Sabbath. But even if Jews don’t abide by all of the Sabbath rules, President Trump’s announcement of a national Sabbath this weekend can still benefit our nation.
Read Tevi’s Article ⧁
Keir Starmer’s Conservatism
The beleaguered U.K. prime minister is a small-‘c’ conservative. He wants to conserve the New Labour spirit of the 1990s.
By Louise Perry
Kristof’s Unbelievable Tale
The columnist publishes a poorly sourced, fantastical story of torture and dog rape in Israel.
By Rachel O’Donoghue
Influencers No More
Young people are turning away from the once-common digital dream of a career in content-production.
By Mary Julia Koch
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