Los Angeles June 7 (IANS) Actor Val Kilmer will bring back the character of the skilled fighter pilot (and beach volleyball player) Tom Kazansky aka Iceman for "Top Gun: Maverick".
Actor Tom Cruise is also returning for the sequel to 1986 s "Top Gun" the film that launched the actor as a global star reports hollywoodreporter.com.
In the original film Iceman was a rival to Maverick before the pair eventually became friends after earning each other s grudging respect.
Cruise recently tweeted a photograph announcing that production had begun on the "Top Gun: Maverick".
Joseph Kosinski will helm the sequel which follows fighter pilots dealing with a world in which drone technology is making their old style of flying obsolete.
German composer Harold Faltermeyer who created Top Gun s memorable synth score is also returning to the production.
The film is scheduled to release in July next year.

--IANS ks/dc/bg