Top Gun 3 bringing back Maverick‘s cast now poses a major problem for the threequel. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the long-awaited sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 classic featured the return of Tom Cruise’s тιтular test pilot, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, as he trains a group of young Top Gun graduates, including the son of his late friend, for a dangerous mission.

Led by Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick‘s cast was a mᴀssive ensemble full of experienced stars and unknown newcomers alike, including Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, Danny Ramirez, and Val Kilmer in his final film role. Since Maverick was a mᴀssive success, many of these young stars saw their careers explode as a result.

Top Gun: Maverick was a mᴀssive critical and commercial success that made nearly $1.5 billion at the box office and earned six Oscar nominations. In turn, Top Gun 3 was officially announced in January 2024, along with the confirmation that Cruise will return as Maverick alongside Teller as Rooster and Powell as Hangman. The return of other cast members, however, remains uncertain.

Top Gun: Maverick’s Cast Didn’t Get A Balanced Screentime

Cruise, Teller & Powell Were The Focus

Because of how big it was, the Top Gun: Maverick cast simply didn’t have balanced screentime in the sequel. The focus was mostly on the relationship between Tom Cruise’s Maverick and Miles Teller’s Rooster, the son of his late RIO, Goose (Anthony Edwards). This was warranted since their arc served as the emotional core of the movie.

Glen Powell’s Hangman also got plenty of screentime as the primary antagonist who becomes more likable throughout the course of the film, similar to Iceman, culminating in him heroically saving Maverick and Rooster during the thrilling third act. His eventual redemption added some complexity to the storyline, but again, the focus stayed тιԍнтly on these three characters.

Meanwhile, cast members like Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, and Danny Ramirez were largely relegated to supporting roles with minimal development for their characters. Their camaraderie and skills were showcased briefly, and quite effectively, but their backstories and motivations largely remained unexplored and underutilized.

Top Gun: Maverick’s Cast Have Become Bigger Names

Powell Leads The Pack

Since Top Gun: Maverick‘s release in 2022, the cast have all become bigger names. Glen Powell’s career exploded after Top Gun: Maverick, and he is well on his way to true movie star status, having starred in the rom-com Anyone But You, the critical darling Hit Man, the summer blockbuster Twisters, and has Edgar Wright’s Running Man remake on the way.

Lewis Pullman has leaped into the superhero spotlight since Top Gun: Maverick, making his MCU debut as Robert Reynolds/Sentry in Thunderbolts*, and will reprise his role in Avengers: Doomsday in 2026. Danny Ramirez also plays Joaquin Torres/Falcon in the MCU and will also reprise his role in the upcoming Avengers movie.

Monica Barbaro’s career has also surged since Top Gun: Maverick. She garnered much acclaim and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for playing Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown. The performance showcased her dramatic range and positioned her as a serious, in-demand talent in Hollywood.

Top Gun 3 May Struggle To Bring Everyone Back Or Do Them Justice

It Will Be A Tall Task

With the cast becoming bigger stars, coordinating a reunion of this ensemble in Top Gun 3 now comes with significant challenges. With much of the cast locked into packed filming schedules – juggling blockbusters, prestige dramas, and franchise commitments – getting everyone back at the same time could be a logistical nightmare.

Even if Top Gun 3 secures the full roster, carving out meaningful screen time for each of them will be a monumental storytelling task. The threequel can’t just reᴀssemble the roster; it has to give each character arc meaningful weight with growth and real stakes.

Giving Barbaro, Pullman, and Ramirez roles that feel as vital as those of Cruise, Teller, and Powell will be tough for Top Gun 3 to pull off.