If you want to make it as a movie journalist, you have to learn one rule… Try to turn every single press junket around so you can ask about Marvel.
Which is exactly what I did when I spoke to Top Gun: Maverick star, Jon Hamm.
After sharing the screen with Miles Teller – who previously played Reed Richards in 2015’s Fantastic Four (of which the less we say, the better) – I wanted to know if he would ever fulfil fans’ wishes and take on the role himself.
“I don’t know. Sure. Yeah,” said the Mad Men actor, before stating he’d like to take on the role of Mr Fantastic. “I could do a little Reed Richards.”
He then suggested he was ideal for the role, as he, much like Reed, has “the salt and pepper rocking a bit”. Because that’s what the hugely profitable media franchise, Marvel Cinematic Universe, needs; to save money on a couple of wigs.
I told my Dad that I was interviewing Jon Hamm, and as he’s a huge fan of both Top Gun and Mad Men, he naturally didn’t take it well. Which is why I wanted to check in on Jon’s feelings, especially about joining Top Gun: Maverick.
“It was the easiest ‘yes’ I’ve ever had in my career. It was a no-brainer. To get a chance to be involved with this in any way, and to actually play the part I got to play, with [Tom Cruise] was pretty cool.”
Top Gun: Maverick is exclusively in cinemas 25 May, 2022.