The recent Jurassic Park sequel disappointed many but the same cannot be said of Top Gun: Maverick, the follow-up to Tony Scott’s 1986 movie, Top Gun. Critics and audiences alike have praised the movie so naturally, there is now speculation about a third go-round for Tom Cruise’s Maverick and the other members of the Top Gun unit.
But will there be a Top Gun 3? Or have the maker’s behind the recent box office success lost the need for speed? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Top Gun: Maverick about?
Joseph Kosinski’s action sequel sees Tom Cruise reprise his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Set 36 years after the previous movie, it sees Mitchell return to the Top Gun unit where he is tasked with training a group of young aviators to carry out a secret mission. One of the hot shots in his care is the son of his deceased best friend Lieutenant Nick “Goose” Bradshaw so Mitchell needs to confront the demons of his past as he whips this young recruit into shape for the job ahead.
Is it a case of mission impossible for Maverick or does he complete the task that has been laid out before him?
To say any more would move this into spoiler territory so you will have to see the movie for yourself (or read our Ending Explained article) if you want to know more.
Will there be a Top Gun 3?
At the moment, there has been no news regarding another Top Gun sequel. But that doesn’t mean it will never happen. To date, Top Gun: Maverick has made more than $400 million at the domestic box office and it is currently the highest-grossing movie of the year.
According to Fortune, the movie is likely to become the first Tom Cruise movie to top $1 billion at the global box office so it makes perfect sense for Paramount to greenlight a third movie.
The only stumbling block is the alleged copyright breach that the studio has been accused of as they failed to obtain rights for the sequel from the family of the man whose article originally inspired the first Top Gun movie. The family have tried to block the recent movie’s distribution and the possibility of further sequels although Paramount is defending themselves against the claims that have been made against them.
Another obstacle could be Tom Cruise himself as he had to be persuaded by Kosinski to return for this first sequel. Still, he was eventually won over by the director and as he isn’t exactly afraid of sequels – there are currently 6 movies and counting in the Mission: Impossible franchise – he might decide there is still scope for a third Top Gun movie.
What could Top Gun 3 be about?
If there is a third movie, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell could return to train a new set of recruits. Alternatively, the sequel could see Maverick re-team with the pilots from the first sequel, including Rooster (Miles Teller) and Hangman (Glen Powell), to take on a new threat.
In the recent movie, Admiral Cain (Ed Harris) talked about replacing human pilots with a drone armada, so the sequel could also see Maverick and his crew prove their worth against these pilotless machines.
This is just speculation as there have been no story hints just yet. But one thing’s for sure, if there is a third movie, you can expect to see lots of airborne action as Maverick and co take to the skies. You can probably expect a continuation of Maverick’s relationship with Penny (Jennifer Connelly) too, although their romance probably won’t be your main reason for booking your cinema tickets.
When will Top Gun 3 be released?
As it hasn’t been formally announced, we can’t say for sure. As Paramount will be keen to capitalise on the success of Top Gun: Maverick, they probably won’t wait another 36 years for the next sequel. It could feasibly happen within the next 4-5 years when Cruise has cleared his Mission: Impossible schedule and completed work on the rumoured Edge of Tomorrow sequel.
Paramount, feeling the need for speed after the success of this latest movie, might even fast-track a sequel into being.
But these are just guesses. For now, we will just have to wait and see.
Read More: Top Gun: Maverick Movie Review
I feel like a 3rd Top Gun could screw up the franchise, since the 2nd movie set the bar so high.
On one hand a Top Gun 3 could be a fun ride but… BUT, the story would have to be SUPER compelling. The bar was set so high on this one and was so tightly written directed and acted, a third would either be blissfully golden or a comedy error. Let’s hope for the former if they choose to accept that mission.
Must have a Top Gun 3