Tom Cruise celebrates Top Gun Day with throwback pictures

Tom Cruise’s role in the iconic 1986 action-romance, Top Gun, inarguably catapulted him to stardom.

Now, as the hit franchise marked its 38th anniversary, the 61-year-old actor celebrated its success by sharing a collection of behind-the-scenes photos from the original film in honor of Top Gun Day, celebrated annually on May 13.

The nostalgic post shared to his Instagram on Monday featured a young, fresh-faced Cruise alongside co-star Val Kilmer, late director Tony Scott, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

In addition to these throwback photos, the Mission: Impossible star included a recent snapshot of himself on the set of Top Gun: Maverick, reflecting on the franchise's enduring legacy.

Additional snapshots included a young Cruise in his flight suit and iconic Maverick helmet, a still from the original film featuring Cruise, Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards, and a candid moment of Cruise chatting with producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Another photo was a touching black-and-white image of Cruise’s Maverick reuniting with Kilmer’s Iceman, capturing a pivotal moment in the series.

Despite Kilmer's battle with throat cancer, he made a triumphant return in the 2022 sequel.

The sequel surpassed the original's success, becoming the 12th highest-grossing film of all time and sparking talks of a third installment.

“It's incredible to look back on the thirty-eight years of Top Gun,” Cruise wrote. “To the fans who have been with us since the start, there wouldn’t be a Top Gun Day without you.”