On Wednesday, the Cannes Film Festival went into overdrive (overflight?) as Tom Cruise and his Top Gun: Maverick crew landed on the Palais for a high-octane premiere that included eight fighter aircraft swooping above the event, spewing smoke in the colors of the French flag.Long before he arrived on the Croisette, where Top Gun: Maverick is receiving a splashy promotion ahead of its global release on May 25, the actor was already destined to be the greatest draw of Cannes 2022. Even by the festival's own standards, Cruise was greeted with the kind of acclaim that only one of Hollywood's most successful and internationally famous stars could receive. Close to 10 p.m., the audience erupted in a six-minute standing ovation that brought Cruise to tears, capping off an incredible day.After taking part in a career retrospective earlier in the day in the 1,000-seat Debussy Theatre — a "MasterClass Conversation" with French journalist Didier Allouch — Cruise was given another tribute before the screening, led by Canned festival director Thierry Fremaux, in honor of his long-running career at the center of international pop culture. Fremaux made remarks (in French) and then introduced a 13-minute clip reel that featured every film in his career.
Before addressing the microphone to offer remarks, Cruise hugged Fremaux (who invited the audience to lay down their phones and put their hands together) and called out his close collaborators at Paramount. "They all put forth so much effort to get this to the big screen, and it's a dream come true to be here," Cruise added. "This is an evening I will never forget."
Elle Fanning might not be able to. The actress, who is an L'Oreal ambassador and a regular at Cannes, was seated in the Palais and received a particular mention from Cruise. He remembered meeting her while working on the 2005 movie War of the Worlds with her sister, Dakota.
He subsequently returned his focus to the festival and his passion for movies. He said, "Thank you for your time." "I make these films for you all." Fremaux then surprised Cruise by stating that the festival was awarding Cruise the Palme d'Or. Cruise, who appeared awestruck, accepted with a "Wow" as the audience rose for another standing ovation, one of the few times in recent memory that an actor has received several standing ovations prior to the first frame of a film being shown.
But before all of that, Cruise arrived at the Cannes red carpet shortly before 7 p.m. and spent a hearty 10 minutes cruising up and down the street greeting admirers, some of whom had waited for hours in the scorching Côte d'Azur sun for the movie star to appear. He made it worthwhile for them by signing autographs, DVDs, and selfies.
He had to be pulled away from the swarm of admirers to make his way in front of the swath of cameras to pose alongside his director, Joseph Kosinski, and blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer, as shown on the Palais big screen. Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm (who fixed Cruise's bow tie on the carpet), Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis, Lewis Pullman, and others joined them.
Since its international debut in San Diego earlier this month atop the former aircraft carrier USS Midway, Top Gun: Maverick has received wonderful reviews from reviewers.
"How much you're ready to shut out the real world and submit to movie-star fantasy can determine how much you appreciate Top Gun: Maverick," noted THR top film reviewer David Rooney. "Which this superior sequel — directed by Joseph Kosinski with virtuoso technical prowess, relentless pacing, and edge-of-your-seat flying scenes — has in spades."
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