TOP GUN: THE NEXT GENERATION Documentary Series Coming To National Geographic
National Geographic is getting in on the Top Gun hype as they’ve ordered a new documentary series titled Top Gun: The Next Generation. The series will follow a group of officers on the Advanced Flight Training Program as they look to become elite strike fighter pilots.
The pilots will “embark on flight tests including landing on an aircraft carrier at sea and it will be told through a range of Navy student pilots, following them in the air, in the classroom, off-base and at home before some of them get to fly the F-35C Lightning II.”
When I was in my early 20s I almost joined the Navy because I wanted to be a pilot. I never followed through with it, though, and now this is what I do for a living. The journey of life is weird. But, this is the kind of show that I’d enjoy watching.
Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic said in a statement: “With so many millions of fans of the film around the world, I was immediately drawn to this series – these elite jet pilots are not only extremely accomplished and impressive, but all have very different stories to tell. With Nat Geo’s exclusive unprecedented inside access, this series promises to be an exhilarating, visually jaw-dropping and fascinating journey into the intensely competitive world of elite flying.”
The series was created by Karen Edwards, who serves as showrunner, and is exec produced by Tanya Shaw. Lana Salah is series director.