In 1986, the original Top Gun solidified Tom Cruise‘s status as a box office superstar. But not even Cruise could have predicted that Top Gun: Maverick would become his highest-grossing film ever, with $1.496 billion worldwide in 2022. With those kind of numbers, Top Gun 3 is inevitably going to take flight in theaters. But many questions remain about when it will happen and who will return for it.
To keep on top of the latest developments, we’ve assembled everything you need to know about Top Gun 3.
Is Top Gun 3 officially happening?
The good news is that Top Gun 3 is in development at Paramount. It’s just anyone’s guess as to when it will actually come together. As reported by Variety, Ehren Kruger, the co-writer of Top Gun: Maverick, has been tapped to write the script for the next movie.
Paramount not only wants Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski to return, but also the younger cast members including Miles Teller and Glen Powell. But at this stage, it’s not on Paramount’s schedule and the sequel has no release date.
Can Tom Cruise still star in Top Gun 3 after signing with Warner Bros.?
Cruise signed a development deal with Warner Bros. Pictures in January that may eventually lead to Edge of Tomorrow 2. However, Cruise’s deal with Warner Bros. is not exclusive, which means that he can make Top Gun 3 if he signs off on the script by Kruger and finds a place for it in his schedule. Cruise is currently working on his final Mission: Impossible movie, but it’s unclear as to what his next film will be when he finishes that.
What’s the plot of Top Gun 3?
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently told Screen Rant that the story has already been pitched to Cruise, and he liked it.
“Tom is amazing,” said Bruckheimer. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and [Cruise] said, ‘I really like that,’ so we’re developing it. But you never know when it’s going to get made because Tom is so busy. He’s doing Mission: Impossible right now, he’s got a picture after it. Hopefully, we’ll get a screenplay that he loves, and we’ll be back in the air again.”
What are the other stars saying about Top Gun 3?
In 2022, Teller revealed to Screen Rant that he had his own idea for a sequel that would center on his character, Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw.
“I’m trying to get a Top Gun: Rooster,” said Teller. “I’ve been pitching it. We’ll see what happens. I don’t know. I think it’s interesting. Obviously, everybody was begging Tom to do a sequel right after the first one came out. I think this movie puts a nice bow on it; it really kind of wraps it up, but we’ll see. I’m available.”
More recently, Powell spoke to Variety and offered more vague updates about the sequel.
“There is going to be some fun stuff being announced soon … but it was confidential to me,” said Powell. “I talk to [Joseph] Kosinski, Cruise and Jerry [Bruckheimer] all the time. There is stuff happening and it sounds very exciting. I don’t know when I’ll be going back … I’m sure there is a jet waiting for me sometime in the future.”
When will Top Gun 3 hit theaters?
It’s impossible to say at the moment, since the script isn’t finalized and Top Gun 3 is still far from actually shooting. No one involved with the film seems to be interested in rushing Top Gun 3 to the big screen before it’s ready to go. And that’s ultimately the best thing for it.
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