Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently addressed the possibility of a potential sequel. Tom Cruise returned to the role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the high-flying action-adventure film, now as a mentor to a new class of pilots set to take on a daring top secret mission. Top Gun: Maverick proved to be the biggest film of the year, receiving near-universal praise and box-office returns of over $1.4 billion, making it the highest-grossing film of 2022 so far.
With the film being a resounding success, many have speculated about the possibility of a third Top Gun film. President and CEO of Paramount Pictures, Brian Robbins, recently did not dismiss the idea of another follow-up movie, but he also did not confirm whether talks have been had. Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller (Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw) recently revealed that he and Cruise have discussed a possible Maverick sequel, but explained that the decision on a new movie would be up to Cruise.
In a recent interview with RadioTimes.com, Bruckheimer addressed the possibility of a sequel to Top Gun: Maverick. When asked about the chances for a future film, the producer admitted that he could not confirm any details regarding the status of a potential Top Gun 3. Read what Bruckheimer said below.
“I can’t tell you what the future is going to bring. If you’d asked me in ’86, ‘Do you think you’ll have a sequel out in a few years?’ I’d have said maybe. But it took 30-something years to do it!”
Though Bruckheimer could not confirm the possibility of a future Top Gun film, his response indicates that he may be open to the idea. Although Top Gun: Maverick was already highly anticipated by the original film’s longtime fans, not many predicted that the sequel would be such a box office juggernaut, with the film pulling in nearly $500 million more than its closest competitor so far this year. Although Bruckheimer did not commit to a sequel in the near future, Maverick has shown that he has the patience to wait for the right time.
As Teller previously indicated, a second Top Gun sequel decision lies with Cruise. However, due to the actor’s incredibly busy schedule, the chance for Cruise to fit the movie in is rather slim. Along with creative partner writer-director Christopher McQuarrie, Cruise is finishing up his Mission: Impossible two-part finale, developing a project centered on his character Les Grossman from the action-comedy farce Tropic Thunder, and working on a musical film. Cruise is also reportedly in talks with Doug Liman for a movie set in outer space. With Top Gun: Maverick taking years to produce, partially due to the COVID pandemic, the possibility for a sequel isn’t off the table, but there would be some obstacles to overcome.