The late Tony Scott directed the first film.

RidleyScott was asked to pilot the sequel to Top gunbut he rejected it for a sentimental reason.

He Gladiator The filmmaker revealed this in a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporterafter being asked about Top Gun: Maverick and if it was “strange” to see the director’s sequel Jose Kosinski. (Kosinski succeeded Scott’s late brother tony scottwho directed the first action-adventure film in 1986).

Related: Now entering the arena: Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal unsheath Gladiator II

“No,” it wasn’t strange, Scott said. “They asked me to direct it and I said, ‘I don’t want to follow my brother.’ Tony was always interested in current events. A lot of my stuff is historical, fantasy or sci-fi. Tony didn’t like fantasy, things like this. Foreign either sword hunter either Legend“.

Want more movie news? Enroll in Entertainment Weekly free newsletter tGet the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, movie reviews and more.

Tony Scott, who also directed classics like true romance and man on fire, He died in August 2012 by suicide at the age of 68. Scott’s extensive interview with THR He even concluded with a touching sentiment after the outlet asked him if there was anything else he wanted to add to the conversation. “I miss my brother,” Scott said.

top gun, a box office hit and the highest-grossing film of its year, presented Tom CruisePete “Maverick” Mitchell, a fighter pilot from the Naval Top Gun Fighter Weapons School. Cruise reprized the role in the sequel, in which he trains a new generation of pilots and confronts the ghosts of his past. Val Kilmer He also returned as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, starring alongside franchise newcomers. Miles Teller and Glen Powell.

Related: Ridley Scott clarifies comments about Gladiator III plans: ‘Do we have it yet? Not precisely’

The sequel paid tribute to the late Scott in a memorial dedication as the credits rolled at the end of the film. And although Dissident It was also a huge box office success, it seems Ridley Scott was a harsh critic of it. Director Fede Álvarez, who revived Scott’s film Foreign franchise with Alien: Romulusshared Scott’s reaction to Dissident at last year’s DGA Latin Summit as he talks about the harrowing process of sending his Foreign film to the director.

“He wanted me to see it before anyone else,” Alvarez said. “And everyone warned me that Ridley is really tough. . . I asked him about the new Top gun and he says ‘meh’. I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ And he said, ‘My brother’s was original and this one is like huh.’ I really respected him, but you could see how tough he was. Then I thought, ‘There’s no way I’m going to win this one.'”