The original movie was a huge hit in 1986 and became a cult classic in the decades that followed, but its sequel spent an almost unprecedented 30 years in Development Hell before pre-production began in earnest. It was another six years before Top Gun: Maverick arrived, so hopes of the movie spawning another sequel were muted.
However, by Top Gun: Maverick’s triumphant ending, it was clear that Tom Cruise had another huge series on his hands.
Inevitably, Top Gun 3 was soon confirmed, although no release date has been announced for the sequel yet. Top Gun: Maverick’s historic box office success proved that Maverick’s lengthy absence from the multiplex didn’t harm his popularity one bit, while the comparative under-performance of 2023’s Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One reaffirmed that the sequel was something special.
Top Gun 3’s story could ensure that the series lasts a lot longer, but this will be risky.
