How Tom Cruise & team pulled off insane aerial stunts in 'Top Gun: Maverick' without CGI

Tom Cruise’s starrer Top Gun: Maverick is set to become the biggest hit of the year as the film has left the audience stunned with its jaw-dropping flight sequences, most of which were performed and filmed with almost no CGI or VFX.

The high-flying aerial stunts were performed by aerial stunt coordinator Kevin LaRosa II, who detailed his experience of creating fictional but realistic aerial sequences.

“The stunts looked real because there's an airplane really behind the lens,” he said. “VFX would do some amazing things and just re-skin it so you're using the same textures and the same light,” he added.

He also explained that the film’s cast and crew prepared before taking flight sessions. “Being ready to fly isn't just about being prepped with the mission. It's about being physically prepped. Are we rested? you've got to be physically and mentally sharp, and then we do these incredible briefings,” LaRosa II said.

Top Gun: Maverick is now in theaters.