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A Chinese company reportedly backed out of financing the film “Top Gun: Maverick” because of the film’s pro-America message.
Fortunately, Paramount Pictures did not let this impact production of the film.
The Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings Ltd. initially invested millions to take a 12.5 percent stake in the film, but then backed out.
The Wall Street Journal reported, “Tencent executives backed out of the $170 million Paramount Pictures production after they grew concerned that Communist Party officials in Beijing would be angry about the company’s affiliation with a movie celebrating the American military, according to people familiar with the matter.”
“Association with a pro-American story grew radioactive as relations between the U.S. and China devolved, the people added. The about-face turned ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from a movie that once symbolized deepening ties between China and Hollywood into a fresh example of the broader tensions forming between the U.S. and China.”
In just the first four days of its release, the film has already taken in over $248 million worldwide and $154 million within the U.S. This is the most successful Memorial Day debut in history.
It’s also the biggest debut for a movie in actor Tom Cruise’s 40-year career.
Without spoiling the movie, Tom Cruise wears a leather jacket with a patch that “commemorates a U.S. battleship’s tour of Japan, Taiwan and the Western Pacific in 1963-1964.”
Audiences in Taiwan reportedly cheered seeing the patch.
“During the first screenings in Taiwan, audiences cheered and clapped when their flag unexpectedly appeared.” https://t.co/8Z0OZmFwXv
— Julian Ku 古舉倫 (@julianku) May 30, 2022
We polled @TopGunMovie: Maverick tonight and audiences gave it an A+! Congrats to @ParamountPics, @TomCruise, and the rest of the cast and crew! Will you be lining up to see the sequel this weekend? #CinemaScore pic.twitter.com/ESnSu9RxkE
— CinemaScore (@CinemaScore) May 28, 2022
More on this story via Western Journal:
Audiences gave the film a rare “A+” CinemaScore, the first to earn the grade in 2022.
A central message coming out of the movie is not to count America out. It’s still a force for good and security in a turbulent and violent world.
After all what does a U.S. aircraft carrier represent but the projection of America’s military might and presence?
Without giving much away about “Maverick,” the mission that Cruise’s character — U.S. Navy Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell — oversees is the attack of a soon to be operational nuclear facility in what is identified as a “rogue” nation.
Iran immediately comes to mind, or perhaps North Korea.
The unidentified enemy’s highly advanced fighter jets in the movie sport a red star.
This is great news. After a brush with anti-American censorship, Top Gun 2 shed its ties to China’s government and won its soul back. How many other American movies have sacrificed their values and principles at the alter of Chinese investment? https://t.co/mlgz320MCh
— Ian Easton (@Ian_M_Easton) May 29, 2022
