Why Kenny Loggins’ new ‘Danger Zone’ was cut from ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Ride into the danger zone — of Hollywood’s cutting room floor.

Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins revealed on Tuesday that he had re-recorded the 1986 hit “Danger Zone” for Tom Cruise’s new hit “Top Gun: Maverick.”

However, the song was axed from the final cut.

According to 74-year-old Loggins, he redid the song to bring audiences back into the “Top Gun” world — but Cruise, 59, wanted to go with the nostalgia of the original film, Entertainment Weekly reported.

Director Joseph Kosinki — who helmed the blockbuster, record-setting sequel — said the choice to go with the original version was to assure the audience that they were in good hands.

“I wanted that first few minutes to just tell you, this is a ‘Top Gun’ movie, we love it as much you do,” Kosinki, 48, said in a previous interview. “From there, our story goes in a very different direction, but I wanted the first few minutes to let the audience know: Don’t worry, we love it too, this is going to be a ‘Top Gun’ movie.”

Meanwhile, Loggins said he only found out that “Danger Zone” wasn’t being used in April

“When I met Tom Cruise on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ about six years ago, I knew he had the property at that point,” Loggins told the outlet. “”I said, ‘So, tell me, is ‘Danger Zone’ in or out?’ 

Cruise reportedly told Loggins that it would not be a “Top Gun” film without the song and that it would definitely be in the film. He stayed true to his word even though it wasn’t confirmed at the time where the song — or what version — would play at the time.

In the end, fans were hearing Loggins old-school rendition as “Top Gun: Maverick” soared to the top of the box office.

“When we first talked about it, they were thinking it might go in a scene in the middle of the movie or somewhere near the end where he comes to the rescue,” said Loggins. “Instead, Tom opted to use it at the beginning of the movie so that it really conjures up the energy and excitement of the original ‘Top Gun’.”

Loggins stated that even though his new version of the song was never used, he was still really excited that it was in the film.

“It really does capture that vibe from the very first time [I saw it], 36 years ago,” Loggins said.