Tom Cruise has offered a promising update regarding the potential for a Top Gun: Maverick sequel. While promoting Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise revealed that he and the Top Gun team are actively exploring story possibilities for a follow-up to the highly successful 2022 film.
In an interview on the Australian Today show, Cruise stated, "Yeah, we're thinking and talking about many different stories and what could we do and what's possible". He also noted the long development time for Top Gun: Maverick, saying, "It took me 35 years to figure out 'Top Gun: Maverick', so all of these things we're working on, we're discussing 'Days of Thunder' and 'Top Gun: Maverick'".
The confirmation of Top Gun 3 came in January 2024, with the news that Cruise would reprise his role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. It is speculated that Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw and Glen Powell as Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin may return. However, Ed Harris, who played Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain in Maverick, has stated that he "doubts" he will be back for the sequel.
The development of Top Gun 3 seems to be focused on ensuring the story is just right. Jay Ellis, who played Reuben 'Payback' Fitch in Maverick, said that the creators "want to make sure the story is right" before moving ahead.
Top Gun: Maverick was a massive box office success, earning $1.496 billion worldwide and winning an Oscar. The film saw Cruise reprise his role as Maverick, training a new generation of TOPGUN pilots. It also featured the return of Val Kilmer as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, in what Cruise described as a "very special" moment.
While promoting Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise mentioned his involvement in "numerous other films," including a project with Alejandro Iñárritu and collaborations with Christopher McQuarrie. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is set to release in theaters on May 23, 2025.
Despite the initial announcement and Cruise's recent comments, details about Top Gun 3 remain scarce. No plot details have been released, and it is unknown which cast members from Maverick will return. However, the confirmation of Cruise's involvement and the ongoing discussions about the story suggest that the sequel is indeed in development.
