The marketing for the upcoming action movie, Top Gun: Maverick, is going all out with a new interactive website that puts you directly in the pilot’s seat. Ahead of the release of Top Gun 2 on May 27, fans can now receive a photo showcasing themselves sporting a personalised call sign.
For those who don’t know what a call sign is, it is the term given for the nickname that aviators earn throughout their careers – which becomes a central part of their identity. In the original ’80s movie, Top Gun, we heard various call signs being used, such as Val Kilmer’s Iceman, and Tom Cruise’s Maverick. Now you can head over to Paramount Pictures’ official website, whatsmycallsign.com, to receive your own pilot nickname before Top Gun 2 takes to the big screen.
To get your very own call sign, you will have to enter your name into the site, as well as allow the page access to your camera in order for it to take an AR photo. From there, you will have to answer a series of very random questions before a photo of yourself wearing a helmet with your new nickname is revealed.
Along with the website, Paramount released a video of the Top Gun 2 cast explaining the importance of call signs. In the clip, we hear a few of the upcoming nicknames featured in the thriller movie, such as Coyote, Phoenix, Rooster, and finally…Bob.
However, despite all the fresh faces, Top Gun: Maverick will primarily follow the character who has one of the most famous cinematic call signs, Cruise’s Maverick, as he sets out to train all of these new pilots for a dangerous mission of a lifetime.
There is some good news for those who aren’t happy with their nickname or helmet from the promotional website, as the page also lets you edit your photo. If worst comes to worst, you can type in a new nickname and customise your helmet to your heart’s content.
While being given a call sign may technically be more accurate to how pilots get their nicknames in real life, let’s be honest, random generation can’t always pick out your personality. So if you are just after a cool pic, editing is a welcomed option.