Top Gun 3 was an inevitability after Tom Cruise’s triumphant return in Top Gun: Maverick, and the future of the Top Gun franchise’s third movie is becoming clearer. 36 years after Top Gun became a cultural phenomenon, Tom Cruise reprised one of his most iconic roles, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, in Top Gun: Maverick. Maverick reignited the audience’s pᴀssion for Captain Pete Mitchell, and the demand for Top Gun 3 was instant.

Top Gun: Maverick’s cast brought Captain Mitchell back to Fightertown, USA, to train a new generation of pilots claiming to be “the best of the best.” With breathtaking aerial pH๏τography and steeped in nostalgia for the original Top Gun, Maverick brought Pete Mitchell into the modern era full throttle. Top Gun: Maverick performed swimmingly at the box office, being one of the biggest breakout hits of 2022 and making $1.4 billion worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). Despite this, Top Gun 3 wasn’t rushed into production, and time is pᴀssing quickly without a lot of concrete news.

The Latest Top Gun 3 News

A Maverick Star Explains The Third Movie’s Long Delays

As the wait continues for any concrete details regarding the threequel, the latest news finds a Top Gun: Maverick star weighing in on Top Gun 3. Jay Ellis played the role of Reuben ‘Payback’ Fitch in the legacy sequel, and he has come forward with a reasonable answer for the third movie’s extensive delays. While ᴀssuring viewers that “They’re diligently working on the script,” he went on to explain that the creators “want to make sure the story is right” before moving ahead. From what Ellis has said, it’s clear that Top Gun 3 is going to take as long as is needed to craft the next groundbreaking film.

Read Ellis’ full comments here:

“They’re diligently working on the script and wanting to get it right. Tom was very discerning. It took a while to make Top Gun: Maverick for a reason. He wanted it to be right, he wanted to push film forward, he wanted to be able to film in the jets. So I think when we look at whatever the next iteration of this franchise is, it’s gonna be that. Tom’s gonna take his time. He’s gonna get it right. Jerry [Bruckheimer] is gonna be there. Joe Kosinski is back as well, producing. I think it’s a very creative group of folks, who want to make sure the story is right [and] want to make sure the audience is wildly satisfied.”

Top Gun 3 Is Confirmed & In Development

The Classic ’80s Franchise Returns Again

While speculation about the sequel has been high since the film was such a box-office juggernaut, Top Gun 3 wasn’t officially confirmed until January 2024. However, the confirmation was also accompanied by news of Tom Cruise’s return as Pete Mitchell, further proof that a sequel would be on the way soon. However, a year pᴀssed by in a flash without any real news regarding the next Top Gun movie. That was until February 2025, when star Jay Ellis ᴀssured viewers that work was still progressing on the script.

Because the future of Top Gun 3 hinges on crafting the perfect sequel, there’s no telling when the film will actually arrive. Though demand is still quite high for more high-octane trips to the “Danger Zone”, Tom Cruise and the rest of the creative team are holding out for the best possible final product.

Top Gun 3 Cast Details

Tom Cruise Will Return For The Third Movie

While most of the cast of Top Gun 3 is still under wraps, early news suggests that the ensemble of Maverick may return en mᴀsse. When the sequel was announced in January 2024, it was revealed that Tom Cruise would reprise his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, quelling rumors that he wouldn’t be involved with the third film. Additionally, it was revealed that Cruise would be joined by his Maverick co-stars Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw and Glen Powell as Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin.

The confirmed cast of Top Gun 3 includes:

Actor	Top Gun Role
Tom Cruise	Pete “Maverick” Mitchell
Miles Teller	Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw
Glen Powell	Jake “Hangman” Seresin

Top Gun 3 Story Details

Does Top Gun: Maverick Set Up A Sequel?

Top Gun: Maverick’s ending didn’t explicitly set up a third movie, but it also didn’t need to for a sequel to work. The Top Gun 3 story will inevitably feature a new mission that requires Maverick and the other pilots, and the specific details will be secondary to what it means for the development of their characters. However, Maverick did plant a seed for a potential new story because Admiral Cain planned to replace human pilots with a drone armada. Perhaps Top Gun 3 would pit Maverick and other human pilots against Cain’s drones to prove that man is superior to a machine.

What would make this story even better is a Top Gun reunion. As previously mentioned, most of the crew didn’t come back for Top Gun 2, so a battle against the machines sets up the perfect reunion story for Top Gun 3. Top Gun 3 could see the original fighter pilot team reuniting to prove that men fly better than machines, and it would be a satisfying tribute to the original movie. Needless to say, the storyline that sees replacing human pilots with drones will probably be a part of Top Gun 3‘s setup, but it’ll be interesting to see in what capacity.