Movies

‘Top Gun’ Lawsuit: Writer’s Cousin Wrote Scenes?!

BBG News

Public family disagreements can be unpleasant under any circumstances, but they seem particularly distressing when they occur in a highly visible setting like the ongoing lawsuit against Paramount and the team behind the movie “Top Gun: Maverick“. This legal action involves Eric Singer, one of the film’s credited screenwriters who is actually a relative of Shaun Gray, a writer and visual effects artist who is currently suing for his share of the Tom Cruise-led project. It seems like even Goose himself might find this family squabble disheartening.

In his court filing at the Southern District of New York, Gray asserts he collaborated closely on the film’s script with Singer and director Joseph Kosinski. The submission implies that Gray kept detailed records—time-stamped files and emails—to prove he penned crucial scenes and made substantial contributions to the movie and its screenplay.

Around mid-June 2017, Singer asked Gray to utilize his writing skills for the Screenplay. He highlighted that the director, Kosinski, wanted Gray on board due to his admiration for Gray’s previous writing work.

Based on an interview with GQ magazine, the movie’s Navy fighter pilot advisor, J.J. “Yank” Cummings, appears to support Gray’s claims.

Hey there! As a passionate cinephile, let me share my experience with you. It was myself, Eric, and Shaun Gray – Eric’s cousin and an exceptional writer – who embarked on this incredible journey together. In the initial stages, it was just the three of us hunkered down in a hotel room in San Diego for five straight days, meticulously going over the screenplay line by line.

Fast forward about a month, and we found ourselves back at Eric’s office in Santa Monica for another five-day marathon. Joe joined us for the final two days to provide his valuable insights on our work. So yes, you could say that we spent quite a bit of quality time together!

Curious to know what scenes were supposedly written by Gray? Keep reading to learn more!

Shaun Gray’s Case Against ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Is Pretty Damning, If True

In the filing, Gray alleges that he wrote several major scenes, including:

  • The first major action scene where the lead character “Maverick” pushes a high-tech prototype fighter jet past its limits, breaking speed records before the aircraft catastrophically fails;
  • The scene where Maverick repeatedly outmaneuvers elite Top Gun graduates during training exercises, culminating in a protocol-violating dogfight with “Rooster”;
  • The scene where Maverick briefs the trainees on a seemingly impossible mission, shocking them with its dangerous requirements;
  • The scene where all the pilot trainees fail to complete the mission simulation within required altitude and time constraints;
  • The scene where Maverick proves the “impossible” mission is actually achievable by flying it himself;
  • The scene where a trainee’s fighter jet hits birds, forcing the pilot to eject before the aircraft crashes and explodes;
  • The scene where two fighter jets, led by Maverick, successfully bomb an enemy nuclear facility;
  • The scene where a missile strikes Maverick’s jet as he leaves enemy territory, forcing him to eject;
  • The scene where Rooster ejects from his aircraft and Maverick confronts him angrily for continuing to risk his life instead of leaving enemy territory;
  • The scene where Maverick and Rooster steal an enemy F-14 and escape using a short runway;
  • The scene where two enemy planes approach Maverick and Rooster during their escape and, after attempting to play it cool, they shoot down their pursuers; and
  • The scene where one engine fails, and Maverick must crash-land the F-14 on the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt.

If the claims in the lawsuit are accurate, these scenes indeed carry significant weight and importance for the movie, as they represent key action sequences that demonstrate the film’s various components, from actors and stunt performers to the numerous crew members who make such high-energy scenes a reality. However, according to Variety, the studio maintains its stance on the production of the film, dismissing the lawsuit as baseless. Despite this assertion, it’s challenging not to be skeptical given the information currently available.

Only time will tell if this will impact the supposed third Top Gun film that’s in the works.

Variety

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2025-04-30 00:36

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