After a decades-long wait, Top Gun: Maverick has finally landed in theaters this weekend. The highly anticipated sequel to Tom Cruise's 1986 classic Top Gun has a lot to live up to, but so far reviews are praising the confident and heart-rending approach to the story of the original. Taking place thirty years after the first film, the sequel puts Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (played by Tom Cruise) in the position of passing on the grit and knowledge he previously earned.

One of his most significant dynamics in Top Gun: Maverick is with Rooster (Miles Teller, The Offer), the son of his old friend Goose. Though Goose tragically died in the original Top Gun, his son Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw wishes to carry on his legacy even if it sometimes puts him at odds with his father's old comrade.

Screen Rant spoke to Teller about the flight training he had to do for the film and the experience of actually going up in the air, as well as whether he'd like to see a third film in the franchise.

Rooster looking up in his cockpit in Top Gun: Maverick

Screen Rant: Miles, this movie! We saw it with the press last night, and we're usually kind of golf clapping. But we were screaming!

Miles Teller: It's nice to get the press excited. Show a little emotion once in a while.

Tell me about the Rooster 'stashe. I actually like it on you.

Miles Teller: Good. Yeah, it was something that I I kind of came up with. And I remember when Tom and I did our camera test for the first time, that's the first time he saw me in full hair and makeup and in the flight suit. He just was grinning from ear to ear, like, "Oh my God. It's amazing how much you look like you could be Anthony and Meg's child."

You pay the most homages to the original. What was your favorite thing you got to do? For example, I love the volleyball and jeans scene from the first one. And you guys got to play football in wet jeans.

Miles Teller: For me. Yeah, I wore jean shorts. That was something that was kind of an homage for me. Playing and singing "Great Balls of Fire" - I love that moment. I just love when people see it cut together and what they do with it. I just think it's a really, really special scene.

Are you a pilot now?

Miles Teller: No. But I've played one in a movie.

But you're going up and getting all those hours.

Miles Teller: All of us have enough hours. There's a couple of solo things we would have to do to pass the test. But Glen Powell, one of the actors in this, got his pilot's license - and it only took him a couple of weeks after this. Because we do have a lot of experience.

How many pushups could you do before this movie?

Miles Teller: 700 in a row.

Top Gun is kind of synonymous with the soundtrack. I love the soundtrack. You go to a bar, what's the jukebox song you're putting on?

Miles Teller: I think Johnny Cash is pretty good.

If you're at a piano, what are you playing?

Miles Teller: If I'm at a piano, I'm playing "Great Balls of Fire" if I can still remember it.

Do you remember it?

Miles Teller: Yeah. And I just learned a bunch of blues chords. My piano teacher was just awesome sauce. Teaching me this song, and then since Paramount's paying for it anyway, teach me some other stuff.

How do you describe the experience of going up?

Miles Teller: You sit in a briefing beforehand, and it's hyper-focused. You need to understand everything, because you not only need to be acting the moments for your character, but also you need to know exactly what the pilot's doing because you have to act like you're flying the jet as well. You're pumped, you're putting on your gear and everything. And then you sit in the cockpit and start strapping in, looking at your stuff, trying to think about it.

But for me, as soon as I would smell the rubber from the mask, I would start getting a little nauseous. Because I know, when I'm up there the first 25 - 30 minutes are pretty cool with lot of adrenaline, but then I would start feeling some slight nausea and sweating. For the most part, it's super hot, and you can't move.

It just kind of had this Pavlovian thing with me.

Like, if you ever smell that again, you're gonna be...

Miles Teller: 100%! If I smell a certain rubber, it kicks off this thing, and I feel like I'm getting a little nauseous.

I fell in love with Rooster. Do you think there's more to tell there? Do you think we could get another?

Miles Teller: I'm trying to get a Top Gun: Rooster. I've been pitching it. We'll see what happens.

I don't know. I think it's interesting. Obviously, everybody was begging Tom to do a sequel right after the first one came out. I think this movie puts a nice bow on it; it really kind of wraps it up, but but we'll see. I'm available.

More Top Gun: Maverick Interviews

Close up of Tom Cruise in character as Maverick in Top Gun 2 wearing a pilot's helmet with face shield down and oxygen mask

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy's top aviators, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.

Next: Top Gun Maverick Ending Explained

Top Gun: Maverick is currently out in theaters.