Top Gun 3 hopes get a little brighter after Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell offers an update about the development of the threequel behind-the-scenes. Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun sequel proved to be worth the wait as it was both a commercial and critical success. Focusing on Maverick’s professional and personal arc, the beloved film gave a perfect happy ending for the character. Given this, the blockbuster could also effectively double as the swan song for the franchise. Considering how big it has become, there’s interest to see Maverick and the whole Top Gun film series continue via Top Gun 3.
In the era of franchises, greenlighting Top Gun 3 should be a no-brainer for Paramount.
However, even as Top Gun: Maverick’s release date anniversary nears, the studio remains mum about the threequel. Despite the lack of any news about the matter, Top Gun 3 hopes get a little bit brighter after Powell offers an update regarding the project. Speaking to Variety while attending the Golden Globes 2023, the actor suggests that there may be behind-the-scenes movement on its development.
Will Top Gun 3 Happen?
Considering Top Gun: Maverick’s success, the hold-up for the official announcement for Top Gun is intriguing. Several cast members have expressed their desire to reprise their respective roles in the threequel. However, its biggest star, Tom Cruise, has yet to explicitly address the clamor for the burgeoning franchise to continue.
For context, the actor has a string of other projects lined up including a new action franchise, a musical, and something with Tropic Thunder’s Les Grossman. There are also conversations about Edge of Tomorrow sequel, a space-set project with director Doug Liman, not to mention the Mission: Impossible film series. There’s no Top Gun franchise without Cruise, so it’s safe to say that the chances of Top Gun 3 moving forward depend on him.
Top Gun: Maverick proves that a long wait between films isn’t exactly a bad thing. Audiences had to wait decades for the Top Gun sequel, and for a time, there weren’t even any plans about it because Cruise was hesitant to touch the legacy of Tony Scott’s original movie. So even if Top Gun 3 doesn’t happen anytime soon, it doesn’t mean that it will never happen.
However, for those who are hoping that it comes quicker than its predecessor, it’s worth noting that Cruise quietly worked on Top Gun: Maverick for years. Seeing the response from the public to his work with his latest hit film could convince him to prioritize Top Gun 3 over his other endeavors.
What To Expect From Top Gun 3
There are a few ways that Top Gun 3’s story can shake out. Firstly, the franchise maintains its focus on Cruise’s Maverick as he deals with his newfound glory in the Navy and his blossoming love life. Cruise is synonymous with the Top Gun films being the face of the franchise, not to mention the primary creative force behind it, so this is easy to pull off. However, shifting the focus to other characters is arguably the best way to move forward. Maverick can step back and enjoy his new happy life and let the threequel’s narrative focus on his contemporaries such as Hangman and Rooster instead.