Jerry Bruckheimer's 7-step formula for 'Top Gun: Maverick' deserves Hollywood's attention

Jerry Bruckheimer has seen it all. He recalls the go-go days at Paramount Pictures in the '80s with his coked partner Don Simpson, which gave the original "Beverly Hills Cop", "Flashdance" and "Top Gun". Simpson had incredible story instincts - he invented the 'high-concept' film - and hosted network Hollywood parties while former New York publicist Bruckheimer kept his head straight and made sure the films visually elegant are delivered on time and on budget. /p>

Alone in the 90s and early 2000s, Bruckheimer was the head of the Disney studio, produced high testosterone, actors in Bruce Willis' vehicle "Armageddon" and Nic Cage in "Con Air" and "National Treasure" to Will Smith in "Enemy of the State" and the Johnny Depp series "Pirates of the Caribbean", which proved that films could string together action sequences rich in visual effects without worrying about the vagaries of the 'plot. Over the decades, Bruckheimer's films have ranked him as the third highest-grossing producer in the world, with $12 billion in tickets sold.

Related Related

But arguably it also produced some Oscar-caliber fare that just didn't make it into the Best Picture race, even though some of the players got nominated, including Ridley Scott's war movie "Black Hawk Down", the underwater actor "Crimson Tide", the sports saga "Remember the Titans" and the teaching of theater "Dangerous Minds".

“We make movies that appeal to the general public,” Bruckheimer said over the phone. "It's nice to see a brilliant little movie capture the Academy's quota of excellence. Sometimes those aren't entertaining movies. If you look back through the years, how many pictures that appeal to the general public have won Oscars "I've never made a movie to make an Oscar. It's about entertaining the audience and focusing on the people. I'm proud of all the people I recognized for the first time and supported to help to make their career - Eddie Murphy, Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck - all the opportunities and the directors I've worked with and burst into our business. It's working with talented people: you always let yourself be carried away by the story and talent. It takes a leader's conviction to sustain an image. They have to face their bosses to get there. That's what builds careers."

Clearly, Bruckheimer applied everything he learned from the 70s until today for the long-awaited sequel "Top Gun: Maverick", which won a place at the Oscars for best picture and with her, Bruckheimer's first Oscar nomination. He and star producer Cruise left no stone unturned in taking the time they needed to bring this beloved fighter pilot drama back to the screen. They stayed true to their long-held beliefs about what makes Hollywood a commercial success and insisted on executing their film at the highest level. Six Oscar nominations are the icing on the cake.

"It's a matter of character, it's a matter of theme," Bruckheimer said. “Things that worked so well in the 70s, 80s and 90s have changed so much with the success of comic book heroes. The way of doing business has changed during the pandemic. We wanted to release a film purely intended as entertainment. That's what I've done my whole career. Tom Cruise felt the same way: when you entertain the audience, you expect to get the best story, the best characters and scenes, and the best people behind and in front of the camera."

Check out some of the lessons Bruckheimer applied to 'Top Gun: Maverick' to win a global audience.