5 things Maverick would actually be doing after 32 years of service

The poster for Top Gun 2 has officially been released to let audiences know that Day 1 of principle photography has begun. Awesome. I just want to be that guy and point out that, after 32 years of being in the Navy, is Maverick still only a captain. Why? How?

While he's still got nothing on Gen. Vessey's 46 years of service, the average time it takes to make Admiral is 23 years — and that's taking into account only the 2.24% of ensigns who stay in that long. I guess his need for speed is really that strong.

Here's our take on what a real-world Maverick would be (or should be) doing after all this time.

But I can't help but feel like we've seen this film somewhere before...

(Pixar Animation Studios)

Stuck in Training Command

The most obvious and likely scenario will reverse the roles as we know them: the former rambunctious student is now an underappreciated teacher who has to mentor someone just as rebellious and talented as he once was.

He'll probably hold fast to his old gotta-be-the-best mentality before he finally accepts the fact that his time has passed and his new calling is to impart all of his knowledge onto a quirky, young, Latina pilot that nobody believes in. Chances are high that this is what the film is going to be about — according to rumors, anyway.

He would need to fight the urge to go inverted, though...

(Universal Pictures)

Commercial airline pilot

The most common scenario is that, after so many years, he'd just say, "screw it," retire, and look for employment in the civilian sector. I'm just saying, it's hard to scoff at a potential 3k a year when he'd otherwise make 9k by staying in.

Maybe Maverick feels like hanging it all up and making some serious bank by flying red-eyes between San Diego and Seattle-Tacoma International. It could be a heart-felt story about a once-badass Navy aviator having to cope with a dull civilian life.

Basically another role reversal if Maverick became Gene Hackman's character from The Firm.

(Paramount Pictures)

Corporate lobbyist in Washington

One of the complaints many people have about the freshly-released teaser poster is that Maverick is seemingly about to board an F-18 Super Hornet instead of the F-35C Lightning II. Personally, I have no dog in this fight — maybe this all the work of Pete Mitchell (formerly known as Maverick) cozying up to politicians who want to keep the Super Hornet in production.

Top Gun 2 could shape up to be a politician thriller along the lines of Thank You For Smoking or something that wouldn't get unofficially scrapped before the series arc could finish.

So it'd be 'Jack Reacher'... but without the action.

(Paramount Pictures)

Old drunk at the bar

A place Maverick frequented in the original Top Gun was that bar outside of Miramar. But what if Maverick could never really leave that bar — just like so many veterans before him? Night after night, generation after generation, Maverick sat in the bar reminiscing. Now, he's become that washed-up old guy who tells uninterested sailors about that time he "totally" fought the Soviets without starting an international incident.

It'd be just like Cocktail or Cheers — except it wouldn't be a romantic comedy. It'd be a serious drama about an old vet who just wants someone to talk to.

...too soon?

(Paramount Pictures)

Unapologetic clothing line owner

Just like nearly every high-profile veteran that leaves the service, he could start his own veteran-owned military clothing company. He only sells jean shorts, body oil, and sunglasses. For obvious reasons, selling t-shirts is completely out of the question.

It could be a movie about Maverick and Iceman making YouTube shorts, sharing memes, and, eventually, trying to make their own movie about beach volleyball players during the zombie apocalypse...