‘Top Gun': 30 Things You Didn’t Know About Tom Cruise’s 30-Year-Old Classic

As “Top Gun” nears its thirtieth anniversary, The Wrap counts down thirty facts about the iconic movie you may not have known.

The facts not directly cited in this gallery came from the 30th anniversary edition Blu-ray/DVD of “Top Gun.”

The role of Maverick was written expressly for Cruise — whose performance in “All the Right Moves” gave the writers inspiration for the part.

Thirty years ago, “Top Gun” took the world by surprise and launched the careers of Anthony Edwards, Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan, while cementing Tom Cruise‘s superstar status after “Risky Business” and “All the Right Moves.”

Val Kilmer initially turned down the role of Iceman until director Tony Scott tracked him down and passionately recruited him.

When it was in the casting phase, “Top Gun” became the hot title around town. Nearly all of young Hollywood men wanted to be involve, including a very young Charlie Sheen, who was said to be willing to take any part, even a small one. (He didn’t, but he later made the “Top Gun” parody “Hot Shots” and “Hot Shots Part Deux.”)