It Looks Like “Top Gun 3” Is Happening, With Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, And Glen Powell All Set To Return

"Top Gun: Maverick" was a once-in-a-generation unicorn of a movie. It was fucking awesome. I think it's one of the best summer blockbusters of all time. It was the high point in the career of one of the greatest movie stars ever. I love it so much, yet I did not want to see a sequel. One of the things that people really enjoyed about Maverick was that it stood on its own. Yes, it was a sequel to a popular film from the 80s, but it wasn't a part of any greater universe. It was simple, but it didn't insult your intelligence. It felt like the kind of movie that doesn't get made anymore. I didn't need to see a sequel, but with that said, it was almost inevitable that we got one. A movie that got that much hype, received that much attention, and even got nominated for the awards that it did was destined to have a sequel.

I would've been happy had "Top Gun: Maverick" stood alone as this bizarre summer anomaly. The movie was near the top of the box office almost 3 months into its release. It was crazy. It also hit at the right time. We were two years removed from the pandemic, and some of the big franchises in Hollywood seemed to be getting stale. At the risk of sounding corny, it felt like America needed a movie like "Top Gun: Maverick." I wonder if they will be able to recapture that lightning in a bottle with a sequel. That said, Tom Cruise cares about this character, and Joseph Kozinski did such a masterful job directing the last film that if they bring this crew back, it wouldn't surprise me if they make another solid sequel, I just don't know if they could ever do something as good.

There's no word yet about what the story of this movie will be. I don't think this will ever happen because Tom Cruise is such a big draw, but it'd be a better idea if they focused a little more on Miles Teller and his band of pilots. One of the key themes of "Top Gun: Maverick" is grief, and by the end, Tom Cruise learns to move on from the Goose's death. I feel like it could be a little bit redundant if they did another mission running it back with him. It's wishful thinking. People come to these movies for Tom Cruise. I'm sure he'll be front and center once again. 

I'll definitely see this. "Top Gun: Maverick" was an incredible achievement, but I really hope the Top Gun universe does become something that Hollywood milks dry. That's probably wishful thinking on my part. Eventually, every beloved franchise gets burned to a crisp, but there was something so unique and even pure about "Top Gun: Maverick." As critical as I am of the theatrical experience, Maverick was one of the rare films that genuinely deserved to be seen in theaters. I hope it's good; I just don't know if they'll be able to hit a home run in back-to-back at-bats.