LOS ANGELES • Will Jennifer Connelly take Tom Cruise's breath away?

The Oscar-winning actress is reportedly in talks to star in the sequel to Top Gun (1986), which propelled Cruise to stardom.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Connelly will play the movie's female lead - a single mother who runs a local bar near the Navy base - if the deal is made.

She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as physicist Alicia Nash in 2001's A Beautiful Mind, which also starred actor Russell Crowe.

Cruise is returning to his role as fighter pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick.

In the first movie, Maverick was involved with astrophysicist and civilian Top Gun instructor Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood, played by actress Kelly McGillis.

The sequel will be directed by Joseph Kosinski, who worked with Cruise in the movie Oblivion (2013).

The actor has already filmed scenes in San Diego, but the main filming will resume in September, USA Today reported.

Actor Miles Teller of The Divergent Series fame has been cast as the pilot son of Maverick's wingman, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, who died in Top Gun after ejecting from his plane. Actor Anthony Edwards played the role in the first movie.

Cruise's main adversary in the first movie, Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, played by Val Kilmer, will also make a return.

Kilmer, who is suffering from throat cancer, confirmed on Facebook earlier this month that he is "officially in the sequel".

Top Gun: Maverick is slated to land in theatres next July.