Tom Cruise has no plans of retiring one of the most famous characters of his career. At CinemaCon, Cruise was confirmed for "Top Gun 3."
© Alberto E. RodriguezCruise and the franchise's producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, are back for the film, which will be written by Ehren Kruger, who co-wrote "Top Gun: Maverick" alongside Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie.
"Top Gun: Maverick" was one of the biggest successes in recent memory, reaping a large box office at a time when the industry was hurt by COVID-19 restrictions. The film ended up grossing $1.5 billion from a $170 million budget.
The film marked the return of Cruise to the character of Pete Mitchell, reprising it after a 36-year gap. The film followed Mitchell returning to the famous flight school of the first film, teaching a new batch of students played by actors like Glen Powell, Miles Teller, Danny Ramirez, and Monica Barbaro. The late Val Kilmer was also featured in the film, making for one of the story's most emotional beats.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesMore details about 'Top Gun 3'
The idea for a "Top Gun 3" has been rumored for years. Joseph Kosinski, the film's director, who also directed "F1" to financial and critical success, discussed the idea for the film in 2025. I think we've found a way to do it, not only in the scale of what we're proposing, but the idea itself of the story we're telling," he said in an interview with GQ.
"We're thinking much bigger than… It's a really existential crisis that Maverick has in this, and it's much bigger than himself. It actually… I'm trying to describe it without giving anything away. [Laughs.] It's an existential question that Maverick has to deal with, that would make Maverick feel small, I think, as a movie, compared to what we're talking about."
© GettyWhile "Maverick" was interpreted by many as Tom Cruise passing on the baton to a new generation of action stars, Kosinski shared that Cruise remained a key part of the film. "Yeah, there's still more story to tell for him. There's one last ride," he said.
"So we're working on it now. Ehren Kruger, who wrote F1, is writing the script. Like all things, it takes a while to work things out, and we'll only do it if we feel like we've got a strong enough story."
© Getty Images for Paramount Pictu
