American actor Glen Powell will portray a young pilot in Top Gun 2, but little has been revealed about the character. However, the trailer for Top Gun: Maverick offers a major hint about what to expect from his role in the film, which is scheduled for a June 26, 2020 release.

Top Gun 2 stars Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, reprising his role from Tony Scott’s original 1986 film, Top Gun. In the sequel, 34 years have passed and Maverick struggles with his place in the world, especially within the U.S. Navy. After passing up promotions, the Captain aviator anticipates a changing of the guard, as new Top Gun recruits represent the future while protocol shifts in a new direction. Miles Teller co-stars as Bradley Bradshaw, one of Maverick’s trainees, and the son of his old friend Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. Jennifer Connelly portrays Maverick’s love interest, a woman who could either inspire the famed pilot to choose a new lifestyle or push him to pursue career goals.

Now 30 years old, Powell wasn’t even alive when the original Top Gun released. But does his character have a connection to the original storyline? Here’s what we know about Powell’s role in Top Gun: Maverick, and what it means for the narrative.

Powell’s Top Gun: Maverick Character Is A New Recruit

In Top Gun 2, Powell portrays a new recruit, along with Teller’s Bradley Bradshaw and Monica Barbaro’s Phoenix. On paper, these three characters represent the new school of up-and-coming Naval aviator hotshots, and that information alone is telling. If Bradley is anything like his father, he’ll be competitive and looking to establish himself as the Alpha Male. In contrast, Phoenix will likely attempt to prove herself while competing against numerous males. So, in terms of narrative conflict, that leaves Powell’s character, whose name still hasn’t been revealed, somewhere in the middle.

Powell’s Top Gun: Maverick Character Seems To Be The New Iceman

The Top Gun: Maverick trailer frames Powell’s character as the modern age Iceman. Shortly after Jon Hamm’s three-star Vice Admiral appears, there’s a landscape silhouette shot featuring Powell (or maybe it’s Teller’s Bradley) holding a football while wearing sunglasses. The next image shows a shirtless Powell displaying a heightened sense of machismo on the beach; a clear reference to the famous volleyball sequence from Top Gun. 

Previously, we’ve theorized that Val Kilmer’s absence from the Top Gun 2 trailer could be connected to a first act inciting incident. Incidentally, this concept supports the idea that Iceman’s bravado would transfer over to Powell’s character for the sequel. He’ll most likely be the care-free yet talented Top Gun trainee who both inspires and/or challenges his colleagues. Powell originally wanted the Rooster role in Top Gun 2, and was awarded a “secret” role after an impressive audition. Like his younger co-stars, Powell has remained quiet about his character.

More: Everything We Know About Goose’s Son In Top Gun: Maverick

  • Top Gun: Maverick Release Date: 2022-05-27