Val Kilmer Resurfaces During ‘Top Gun’ Screening in Austin, Texas

Val Kilmer made an appearance at a screening of Top Gun in Austin, Texas, Sunday afternoon, just a few months before the film’s sequel hits theaters. Kilmer appeared in good spirits as he talked with fans at Camp Mabry. The event was hosted by the Austin Food and Wine Alliance and Rolling Roadshow, who also hosted a screening of Tombstone at Lorraine Ghost Town with Kilmer in attendance on Saturday.

While introducing the outdoor Tom Gun screening, Kilmer was seen wearing a pink shirt. He also donned the now-familiar blue scarf around his neck, which he wears after his two-year battle with throat cancer. Photos from the event were published by Austin360.

Fans also shared photos from the events in Austin on Twitter.

Despite Kilmer’s battle with cancer, the Batman Forever actor filmed scenes for Top Gun: Maverick, in which he will reprise the role of Commander Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, alongside Tom Cruise as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.

Kilmer did not appear in the trailer released at San Diego Comic-Con in July, inspiring some fans to wonder if the casket seen in it was Iceman’s. Of course, fans will not know for sure until the movie hits theaters next year.

Kilmer initially denied rumors of poor health in 2015, but he eventually opened up to The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 about his battle with throat cancer. He underwent two years of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. During that time, he learned not to take himself too seriously.

“I was too serious,” he told THR. “I’d get upset when things like Oscars and recognition failed to come my way.”

In the lead-up to Top Gun: Maverick‘s release, Kilmer has been seen in the public eye more often. Aside from the Austin appearance, he was seen at the NOVUS SDG Moonshots Summit at the United Nations on July 20. The New York Post also published photos of him walking around New York City, wearing what appears to be a trachea breathing device around his neck.

Kilmer, 59, was vocal of his support for making a Top Gun sequel. Back in 2015, he told fans on Facebook he would say yes to playing Iceman again even before reading a script.

“We will all miss [original director] Tony Scott one of the kindest gentlemen I’ve ever met in the film biz, but let’s fire up some fighter jets again,” Kilmer wrote at the time. “This is a long way off so calm down. This has been talked about for a long long time and being offered a role is very different from doing a role. I jumped the gun with my post. I jumped the topgun… An innocent mistake. It was just such a wonderful phone call with my agent…”

Top Gun: Maverick also stars Miles Teller, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Glen Powell. It opens on June 26, 2020.

Photo credit: Gary Miller/Getty Images