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Jon Hamm says 'Top Gun' sequel is 'everything you hope it's going to be'

The reboot was slated to hit theaters this summer, but it was delayed by a year due to the coronavirus epidemic.
/ Source: TODAY

Jon Hamm will be your wingman anytime.

The actor joined TODAY's Hoda Kotb on Wednesday to discuss his role in the upcoming "Top Gun" sequel, the early days of his career in Hollywood and some other upcoming projects.

Speaking about the reboot of the beloved '80s flick, which will star Tom Cruise once more, Hamm, 49, revealed that last week he saw a cut of the film, slated for release in July 2021.

"I loved it," he told Hoda. "It's everything you hope it's going to be. It's everything I hoped it is going to be, and Tom obviously is perfect in it and amazing."

"The movie has the exactly the right mix of nostalgia for the first one, and but then the continuation of the story and the characters," he added. "You know, you don't expect anything else from Tom Cruise in this point in his life."

Hamm's starring in big-budget films now, but his career hasn't always been that way. On Wednesday, he recalled to Hoda his decision to move to Los Angeles at 25 and to give himself until he was 30 to make it.

"I'm sure I had a few dark nights of the soul," he said. "I was able to maintain some kind of sensibility where I felt that it might just be right around the corner."

His success, he said, was in large part due to the experience he got acting in his hometown of St. Louis.

"I earned my equity card working in small professional theaters in St. Louis when I was just out of college," he explained. "It was an opportunity for me, who wanted to pursue a career as a working actor to get the experience and to get the time on stage and to meet people in the business and start that very first step toward a career."

"My experience has been that the arts brings so much to our community, and what they really bring is a sense of togetherness and working on the same thing and pulling on the same rope together," he continued. "And that's what community is all about."

That's why Hamm has started his new charity initiative. For $75, you'll get 50 chances to win a virtual hangout with the "Mad Men" star, and the proceeds will go to theater companies in St. Louis.

"We're hopefully able to raise some money," he told Hoda. "Basically to just keep the lights on so everybody doesn't have to start from square one, and if we raise enough money, we can share that with other community theaters and hopefully inspire people to ... give back."

"This Is Us" star Sterling K. Brown is also participating in the raffle, as well as "House of Cards" creator Beau Willimon. The drawing of winners' names is Sept. 17.