Tom Cruise has been accused of hiring then abruptly sacking a well-known US singer. Photo / Getty Images
Tyler Joseph - lead singer of the band Twenty One Pilots - has revealed that the band was supposed to appear on the soundtrack of the upcoming blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.
However, Joseph claims the project came to a swift halt when Tom Cruise "fired everyone".
Appearing on US radio station KROQ, Joseph explained that "I was working with the music placement person for the new Top Gun on writing a new song for them.
"And then I believe Tom Cruise came in and just fired everyone."
Luckily for the pop star, he hadn't actually begun work on the song before Cruise allegedly pulled the plug.
"I saw some scenes," he explained. "They brought me in to show me some scenes and stuff. I actually don't think I started writing."
Joseph attributes the firing to the significant revamps the production was undergoing, saying, "The trailer has been out for like three years, so there's been a few overhauls, and I was a part of that. They moved on."
He speculated that these production changes were most likely made as a result of the Covid pandemic.
As reported by Fox News, the firing ended up being a blessing in disguise, as Joseph alongside drummer Josh Dun decided to instead focus their energy on producing a movie for their fans: Twenty One Pilots Cinema Experience will be shown on May 19 for one night only. It will be an extended cut of their 2021 live-streamed performance of their recent LP Scaled and Icy.
Top Gun: Maverick will premiere in New Zealand on May 26, after Covid-related delays postponed the production for several years. The soundtrack will feature original songs from artists such as Lady Gaga and OneRepublic.
Early reviews are absolutely stellar, with reviewers begging audiences to see the film on the largest screen possible. In keeping with the epic tone, Cruise arrived at the red-carpet premiere in a helicopter.
Viewers expressed their outrage, suggesting the team on the show was 'robbed'.