Top Gun 2

'Born to Fly' was supposed to be the country's answer to Tom Cruise's blockbuster sequel — until the producers saw the American hit and grounded it.

[Awards](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/e/awards/) [How ‘Armageddon Time’ Star Anne Hathaway Prepared to Play Director James Gray’s Mother in Semi-Autobiographical Film](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/anne-hathaway-interview-armageddon-1235283725/) [international](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/international/) [Tired of ‘Home Alone’ Reruns? “Alibaba is waiting for the go-ahead from the Film Bureau to set a new release date. Chinese authorities never comment directly on censorship decisions, but the word within the Beijing film industry is that Born to Fly‘s producers were made to realize that their movie’s stunts and visual effects were far inferior to Top Gun: Maverick’s and that the Chinese version risked ridicule in comparison — all of which would have been most unwelcome, even politically dangerous, given that the two films are, in part, propagandistic displays of the United States’ and China’s military strengths. Some in China who have seen Born to Fly have said that the movie disappointed the Chinese air force because of both its overall perceived shabbiness and its mistaken reference to China’s proudly homemade J-20 jet as a “fourth-generation” stealth fighter, rather than, correctly, a more advanced, fifth-generation plane of its kind. In 2019, Chinese tech giant Tencent shelled out tens of millions of dollars to buy a 12.5 percent stake in Skydance and Paramount’s Top Gun sequel (budgeted at $170 million, not including marketing). So, when Born to Fly was officially scheduled for release on Sept. But before long, Tencent discreetly withdrew its investment in Top Gun 2 — because it feared angering Communist Party leadership by supporting a movie that overtly celebrates U.S. But Born to Fly was mysteriously grounded just days before its planned opening. Produced in full cooperation with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force — much as Maverick was with the U.S. The country’s most daring and promising young fighter pilot takes part in a top-secret testing program for the military’s most advanced fighter jets. Navy — the film showcases China’s most advanced stealth fighter jet, the J-20. With hot young Chinese test pilots and heart-stopping aerial acrobatics, Born to Fly was supposed to be