Maverick’ for defying Chinese censorship

After 36 years, the sequel to Tom Cruise’s classic film “Top Gun” is a critical and commercial success, earning $248 million at the worldwide box office in its opening weekend. In Taiwan, it is also celebrated for another reason: not to pander to China.

In 2019, the trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick” showed Cruise’s character, U.S. Navy pilot Pete Mitchell, in the same bomber jacket he wore in the original film. But two of its flag patches – representing Japan and the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name – appeared to have been replaced by other emblems.

The move was criticized at the time as an act of self-censorship to please Chinese censors. Beijing considers Taiwan, a self-governing democracy of 24 million people, an inalienable part of its territory and attacks any reference to it as a sovereign nation.

After 36 years, the sequel to Tom Cruise’s classic film “Top Gun” is a critical and commercial success, earning $248 million at the worldwide box office in its opening weekend. In Taiwan, it is also celebrated for another reason: not to pander to China.

In 2019, the trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick” showed Cruise’s character, U.S. Navy pilot Pete Mitchell, in the same bomber jacket he wore in the original film. But two of its flag patches – representing Japan and the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name – appeared to have been replaced by other emblems.

The move was criticized at the time as an act of self-censorship to please Chinese censors. Beijing considers Taiwan, a self-governing democracy of 24 million people, an inalienable part of its territory and attacks any reference to it as a sovereign nation.

Hollywood frequently respects Beijing’s sensibilities to access and profit from the lucrative Chinese market. Last year, “Fast & Furious” actor John Cena profusely apologized in Mandarin to his Chinese fans for calling Taiwan a country during a publicity tour for the franchise’s latest film.

Experts say the inclusion of the Taiwanese flag in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ may suggest a shift in Hollywood away from its culture of deference to China’s red lines.

“There have been several recent cases of big-budget American films not penetrating the Chinese market. Studios are aware of this and are making business decisions,” said Aynne Kokas, associate professor of media studies at University of Virginia and author of “Hollywood Made in China.”

Hollywood blockbusters including Marvel films ‘Eternals’ and ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ have been kept off Chinese screens after directors or actors involved in the films made critical comments with regard to China.

Chinese tech giant Tencent said in 2019 that it was investing in the sequel to “Top Gun”; he later pulled out over fears his support for a film with pro-American military themes would anger ruling Communist Party officials, The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing people familiar with the funding.

NBC News has requested comment from Paramount Pictures as well as Tencent’s offices in China, where it was a holiday Friday, and in Los Angeles.

With “Top Gun: Maverick” not scheduled to be released in mainland China, the filmmakers had more flexibility in decision-making, Kokas said.

“Especially for a film like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, a tribute to the US military released in time for the Memorial Day holiday in the US, there is a clear incentive to perform in front of the most trusted audiences in the world. movie,” she said. “and he seems to have paid off financially.”