THE sequel of action classic “Top Gun,” which went a long way in establishing actor Tom Cruise’s leading man status, will start filming by July, according to a report by film news site Omega Underground.

Omega Underground reported over the weekend that the studios behind the project — Paramount and Skydance — intend to start the shoot by the middle of the year. Paramount had earlier said the sequel will hit the silver screens July 12, 2019.

Helming the film is Joseph Kosinski, who also directed Cruise in “Oblivion” in 2013. Kosinski had made his debut filming “Tron: Legacy” in 2010 and followed “Oblivion” with “Only the Brave” in 2017.

Casting and crew hirings is the next step in the process of making this long-awaited sequel a reality, Omega Underground said.

(SD-Agencies)