"Feel the need... The need for speed."
Top Gun: Maverick - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
The opening sequence is a near shot-for-shot recreation of the original film's opening.
The sequence uses the same title font, Harold Faltermeyer's iconic theme, and Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" over shots of flight deck operations on an aircraft carrier. This immediately sets a nostalgic tone and pays homage to the 1986 classic.
Rooster plays "Great Balls of Fire" on a piano in a bar.
This directly mirrors a famous scene from the original "Top Gun" where his father, Goose, played the same song. Maverick's emotional reaction to seeing this highlights the unresolved grief and the strong connection between Rooster and his late father.
Penny Benjamin, Maverick's love interest, was mentioned in the original film.
In "Top Gun," Goose teases Maverick about his history of "high-speed passes over five air control towers and one admiral's daughter." Later, Commander Stinger mentions her by name: Penny Benjamin. Her appearance as a main character in the sequel is a deep-cut reference for dedicated fans.
Maverick performs a high-speed 'tower buzz'.
This is a direct callback to Maverick's reckless behavior in the original film, where he startles an officer, causing him to spill his coffee. Repeating the maneuver in the sequel shows that despite his age and experience, Maverick's rebellious spirit is still intact.
During the bar scene, the jukebox number selected for 'Slow Ride' is 86.
This is a subtle nod to 1986, the year the original "Top Gun" was released.