HONG KONG (CelebrityAccess) – A new trailer for the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun” has stirred up controversy online after Twitter users noticed that Tom Cruise’s iconic bomber jacket no longer features either the Japanese or Taiwanese flags.
In the Paramount Pictures trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick,” the two jacket patch flags appear to have been swapped out and replaced with two ambiguous symbols in the same color scheme.
Several Twitter users were quick to point out that Chinese tech giant Tencent is one of Paramount’s partners on the movie, which is slated for release in summer of 2020, leading many to speculate that the swap was done to appease China.
China’s relations with both Japan and Taiwan are notoriously complex.
In recent years, tensions have flared between China and Japan over disputed islands in the East China Sea. China has also long pressured companies, airlines, and governments worldwide to refer to Taiwan as a Chinese territory despite the fact that it has been self-governed since separating from China in 1949.
According to CNN, China’s campaign has been largely successful, with many major corporations falling in line. Now, social media users are accusing Paramount of following suit.
Check out the trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick” below:
