Glen Powell Shares His Joy of Joining ‘Top Gun 2’ Cast: ‘Missile Lock is Real’

Top Gun‘s sequel is currently filming, and actor Glen Powell has officially confirmed that he has scored a role in the highly-anticipated film.

Powell initially auditioned to play the son of the late character Goose, who was played by Anthony Edwards in the original 1986 film. That spot ultimately went to Miles Teller, but Powell was cast in another role, with The Hollywood Reporter reporting that star Tom Cruise, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and other executives were so impressed by Powell that they wanted to find another part for him.

The actor shared the news on Instagram with a photo of himself standing in an airline hangar in front of a fighter jet.

“Guess some things aren’t so classified…It’s now official. I’m headed to TOP GUN,” Powell captioned the image. “This movie is one of the reasons I became an actor. It’s why I always go low after a high-five, always fall in love with my teachers, say things like “clean ’em and fry ’em” on a daily basis, end volleyball games in oiled-up flexing, and why I can blame all my speeding tickets on Kenny Loggins.”

“In all seriousness, I just had my ten year anniversary since moving from Austin to Los Angeles to give acting a shot. Victories are rare, dreams are mostly broken, so I am truly grateful for everyone in my life who’s helped me beat the odds to get into this flight suit. This role is a dream come true. Don’t ever give up. Missile Lock is Real. #IFeelTheNeed.”

Fans of Top Gun know that Goose, who was Maverick’s (Cruise) wingman in the original film, ultimately perished, giving the film some of its major dramatic moments. The role of Goose’s son was in great demand, with dozens of Hollywood’s hottest young actors vying for the spot.

After the news was announced that Teller had nabbed the part, Powell took the news in stride on Twitter.

“I’m taking down all the Tom Cruise posters in my bedroom,” he captioned an article sharing the news. “Maybe, I’ll leave one. Two for symmetry. Okay, the posters are staying.”

Powell stole viewers’ hearts this summer with his turn in the Netflix rom-com Set It Up, and he’s now poised to step even further into the spotlight with his role on the Top Gun sequel.

Part of his initial audition included a screen test with Cruise, and the 29-year-old told The Ringer that the pair instantly connected and eventually began discussing the direction the film could take.

“Tom and I definitely hit it off at the screen test,” Powell shared. “And the more we talked about the story, the more I got to sit down and talk to him about what I wanted to see in a Top Gun movie. And we figured that out together, I guess. … All I’ve ever wanted to do is be in Top Gun. Tom Cruise is my favorite actor. So getting to talk to him about the Top Gun movie I’ve always dreamed of led to bigger conversations that ended up turning into what I’d consider a dream role.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Dave J Hogan