Top Gun 3: Director, Cast, And More Details

It took 36 years for Tom Cruise to get back in the cockpit as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, and upon doing so, he ended up saving the entire theatrical industry (Steven Spielberg's words, not ours). "Top Gun: Maverick" went airborne in 2022 to critical acclaim, reaching highs of over $1.5 billion at the box office, and storming past three of Cruise's biggest "Mission: Impossible" movies financially. Of course, any other sensible party would pull up from such a success — take a breather, reflect, and get out while the getting is good. But this is Tom Cruise we're talking about — the hot shot hero from both on and off the screen. Of course, he's going to have another go.

Following the announcement that Cruise was cutting a massive film deal with Warner Bros., a report from Puck revealed "Top Gun 3" was indeed going ahead. But what kind of mission could return us to the Danger Zone, given how things ended with "Maverick?" Our hero was last seen taking to the skies with Penny (Jennifer Connelly) to the tune of Lady Gaga. All was right with the world, and Mav was flying high above it. How much more could be told from the "Top Gun" world? Who will be in it, and more importantly, when can we expect it to take off? The bad news is that with a to-do list as epic as Cruise's, we might have to wait a while. The good news is, it won't be another 36 years (we hope).

Here's everything we know about "Top Gun 3," so far.

While there's no denying that Tom Cruise is a million-dollar-movie-making machine, some things beyond even his control have thrown the legendary film star's schedule slightly out of whack, and that could include "Top Gun 3." Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, the production fuse for "Mission: Impossible 8" was put out for some time before being reignited, with just under half of the film completed.  As a result, the return of Cruise's other iconic alter ego, Ethan Hunt, has been pushed back from June 2024 to May 23, 2025, suggesting that "Top Gun 3" won't be ready for take-off until Cruise is done there.

Fingers and wings crossed that everything runs smoothly, as this could mark the first project of his in some time that isn't halted by outside issues. Before the "Mission: Impossible" franchise's eighth installment was stalled due to strikes, "Dead Reckoning Part One" also encountered problems when filming was halted due to COVID-19. The pandemic also sent "Top Gun: Maverick" into some turbulence leading up to its release, with the highly sought-after project initially being eyed for streaming while the world was in lockdown. 

Let's pray that "Top Gun 3" finds clear skies with whatever story it has planned, which we're betting will need jets. Lots of jets.

With reports of a third "Top Gun" film only just leaving the deck, plot details about what the threequel will entail are minimal. Still, given how things were left in "Maverick," the sky is the limit. The 2022 film ended with a squadron molded by the best of the best, with new friendships formed and any past issues left in the dust. Factoring this in, it would be nice to see Mav and his team come back stronger and in a tighter formation than before. The only question is, who among them might get their invitation — sorry, orders — to return to base?

After a death-defying mission that saw Maverick and Rooster (Miles Teller) only narrowly escape with the help of Hangman (Glen Powell), could the students from the last film be ushered in as a new set of teachers for the Top Gun program? Might we see an all-new line of educators for Maverick to oversee as a sort of aerial Hogwarts, swapping wands for wings and everyone wearing aviator shades? That is, of course, if Tom Cruise is down to return (like that's even a question).

Surprising no one, the report from Puck confirms that Tom Cruise will reprise his role as Maverick for a third time in the "Top Gun" franchise, showing the young blood how it's done and looking stupidly cool doing so. Continuing to impress on all fronts, there's a high chance that if current schedules stay on course, he'll take to the air in the threequel, nearing 63 years old. It might seem like a dangerous feat, but it wouldn't be a massive challenge for the star, given that he was hanging out of a plane as part of a promo stunt for "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning" that had fans losing their minds.

Watching Mav's six, Puck sources also confirm that Miles Teller and Glenn Powell will reprise their roles as Rooster and Hangman. Their returns could spark some interesting story elements given that when we first meet them, they share a similar rivalry to the one Mav and Iceman (Val Kilmer) had in the first "Top Gun" movie. As we later discover in the sequel, though, the beef between those seasoned sky guys is squashed, and a lengthy friendship has endured leading up to Iceman's passing. With that in mind, it'd be interesting to see Rooster and Hangman working together in the air, echoing a partnership from years before that we never got to see.

The familiar faces behind the second-biggest sequel of 2022 (sorry, Tom) won't just be appearing in front of the camera, either. Besides Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, and Glen Powell putting on their aviator shades and reprising their relevant roles, "Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski will reportedly be back on the ground calling the shots as well. While the supposed names involved haven't been made official, Kosinski teased enough following the release of "Top Gun: Maverick" that a third film could happen long before the recent news.

Speaking to Deadline, Kosinski posited the question that fans undoubtedly asked themselves after seeing the mega-blockbuster. "Is there another story that is compelling enough that we need to go back?" he asked. The director went on to add, "It seems to me at the end of this film that Maverick has some gas left in the tank. He's not settling down." 

So what could possibly get him going back for what could be one last flight? For that, the answer rests on the same scribe that got Maverick back in the air the last time.

After daring to write a sequel to one of the most iconic action movies of all time, it shouldn't be that much of a task for writer Ehren Kruger to churn out a third chapter, as well. Puck reported that Kruger is currently the only scriptwriter on board "Top Gun 3," after co-writing "Maverick" with Eric Warren Singer and Tom Cruise's regular co-pilot behind-the-scenes, Christopher McQuarrie. Chances are that McQuarrie, while not confirmed to be part of the type-writing team for the threequel, could likely return as producer, which he also worked as on "Maverick."

McQuarrie and Cruise were among the top producers of "Top Gun: Maverick." Returning to the franchise after almost four decades along with the film's frontman was legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who, even following the release of "Maverick," made sure not to confirm anything about a third film. At the time of the film's release, he told Variety, "We're just enjoying this one. I have no idea. It took 35 years to make 'Top Gun: Maverick,' so... I'm not going to be around another 35 years."

The one thing for sure, given the parties involved, is that "Top Gun 3" will follow the events of "Top Gun: Maverick" and continue the events of the beloved aerial-based franchise. How much longer can Tom Cruise keep going as Maverick before another young hotshot takes his place? This would mark the second movie franchise currently running under Cruise's watch that puts him center stage. Still, fans might wonder if there is an opportunity to switch the controls over to Rooster or Hangman.

While Paramount's longtime action star is on the verge of bailing out to work with Warner Bros. Discovery, is there a chance the "Top Gun" franchise could carry on without him? Given that the studio has or is planning to expand on properties like "Transformers" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja "Turtles" to name a few, could "Top Gun" get the same treatment? Stories centering around Rooster, Hangman, or the rest of the class of 2022 could continue should Cruise call it a day, but it's a huge risk that might not pay off how they'd hoped. 

For now, let's see the now eagerly anticipated threequel come in for a safe landing before any more flight plans are made.