Tom Cruise‘s Top Gun Maverick is easily one of the biggest releases of the past year. With bigger franchise releases like Barbie, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, this action thriller was able to retain a name for itself pretty well. However, it now seems like there is a certain incident that the fans are talking about once again. However, this incident dates back to Tony Scott’s original Top Gun. As the title suggests, there might have been a death that history forgot over time. Here is everything to know about the incident that has resurfaced after two decades.
What happened on the sets of Tom Cruise’s Top Gun?
The first Top Gun, released in 1986, became a cult classic, known for its thrilling aerial dogfights and Cruise’s charismatic portrayal of Maverick. However, amidst the high-flying action and Hollywood glamour, a somber incident occurred that had largely remained under the radar until now. The untimely death of Art Scholl, a skilled aerobatic pilot and consultant on the film was something that had been overlooked for many years now.
It turned out that Scholl was an experienced pilot, and was hired to conduct a few action sequences for the movie. Tragically, during a particularly challenging stunt for ‘Top Gun’, Scholl’s aircraft, a Pitts S-2 camera plane, mysteriously went down over the Pacific Ocean. Reports that came out suggested that the incident had taken place precisely in Carlsbad, California, on September 16, 1985, during the film’s production. The crew and rescue teams went for days, searching for Scholl. However, Scholl’s body and the wreckage of the plane were never recovered.
While Top Gun Maverick turned out to be a huge success, the cast and crew of the movie certainly remember the loss that they had to witness with the first movie. Art Scholl’s tragic passing was certainly a testament to the dedication of those who work tirelessly to create the magic of the movies. Even amid all the safety measures, incidents as such can always take place.
While Art Scholl’s tragic death may have faded from the collective memory, his work still lives in Top Gun and all the fans who love the action movie.
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