Tom Cruise appeared at the Cannes Film Festival after a 30-year absence. There he received the Golden Palm of Honour. In addition, viewers gave “Top Gun: Maverick” a standing ovation at the Cannes premiere.
Impressive staging
Before Cruise accepted his Palme d’Or, the actor’s performance was impressively introduced. To kick things off, French fighter jets took to the skies, spraying blue, white and red smoke. The squadron made a second flyby before the Top Gun: Maverick star took the stage.
“An incredible night and time,” Cruise said, “just to see everyone’s faces. It’s been 36 years since Top Gun was filmed and we had to postpone this event for two years because of the pandemic.”
“Thank you Paramount, it was a dream to be here with you,” said the actor, “I will take it all in and I will never forget this evening.”
He also thanked the audience in Cannes: “Thank you for being here. We are here for you. I make these films for all of you. I’m here for you every moment of every meeting,” he continued, “especially in Cannes, you love movies.”
After the premiere, a standing ovation that lasted five minutes rounded off a successful evening. Tom Cruise last guested at the Cannes Film Festival in 1992 while promoting the drama Far Away Land with his ex-wife Nicole Kidman.
No “Top Gun 2” premiere on a streaming service
In an interview ahead of the Cannes premiere, Tom Cruise also emphasized how committed he has been to filmmaking since he was 18 years old. He also said that despite Top Gun: Maverick’s two-year delay, releasing the film on a streaming platform was never an option. Even when cinemas were closed during the pandemic.
Furthermore, Cannes director Thierry Fremaux expressed his enthusiasm for the actor and emphasized his importance for cinema:
“Tom Cruise has one of the highest hit rates in cinema history,” said Fremaux. “This is someone we haven’t seen on streaming platforms, in TV series, or in commercials. He is someone who devotes himself to cinema. To see Tom Cruise you have to see a feature film in the cinema.”