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Chinese Financer Backed Out of 'Top Gun: Maverick' Because of Film's Pro-America Message

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If there wasn’t already enough to like about “Top Gun: Maverick” — based on the movie alone — another wonderful piece of news is that a Chinese company backed out of financing it because of the film’s pro-America message.

After seeing corporate America’s constant genuflecting to communist China, it’s nice to see that Paramount Pictures did not.

China has responded by not approving “Maverick” for release in their market.

Fine. It looks like the film will do more than okay without it.

Variety reported that “Maverick” took in $248 million worldwide and $154 million nationally during its first four days in theaters, making it the most successful Memorial Day debut in history.

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It marked the first $100 million+ domestic opening weekend in actor Tom Cruise’s 40-year career.

Audiences gave the film a rare “A+” CinemaScore, the first to earn the grade in 2022.

A central message coming out of the movie is not to count America out. It’s still a force for good and security in a turbulent and violent world.

Are you glad the filmmakers did not bow to China?

After all what does a U.S. aircraft carrier represent but the projection of America’s military might and presence?

Without giving much away about “Maverick,” the mission that Cruise’s character — U.S. Navy Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell — oversees is the attack of a soon to be operational nuclear facility in what is identified as a “rogue” nation.

Iran immediately comes to mind, or perhaps North Korea.

The unidentified enemy’s highly advanced fighter jets in the movie sport a red star.

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Apparently, Chinese tech company Tencent Holdings Ltd., after initially investing millions to take a 12.5 percent stake in the film, backed out, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“The reason: Tencent executives backed out of the $170 million Paramount Pictures production after they grew concerned that Communist Party officials in Beijing would be angry about the company’s affiliation with a movie celebrating the American military, according to people familiar with the matter,” the Journal said.


“Association with a pro-American story grew radioactive as relations between the U.S. and China devolved, the people added. The about-face turned ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from a movie that once symbolized deepening ties between China and Hollywood into a fresh example of the broader tensions forming between the U.S. and China.”

So be it.

Early on, the filmmakers seemed to bow to the CCP’s sensibilities by removing the flags of Taiwan and Japan from a patch on Cruise’s leather jacket he’s wearing in the 2019 trailer for the movie, Vice reported.

“The patch commemorates a U.S. battleship’s tour of Japan, Taiwan and the Western Pacific in 1963-1964,” according to the news outlet.

Audiences in Taiwan reportedly cheered when they saw the flags had been restored in the actual movie.

All this is good news.

Now we just need corporate America and our leaders in Washington to grow a spine and not allow communist China to dictate what happens in the U.S.

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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