Joseph Kosinski Gives Update on ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Sequel

Joseph Kosinski has confirmed that a sequel to the hit film Top Gun: Maverick is currently being written. Speaking with Variety, the director also mentioned that there are official talks happening about a sequel to the movie F1.

The first Top Gun: Maverick, released in 2022, brought Tom Cruise back as Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.

The film followed Maverick as he trained a new generation of Top Gun graduates, including the son of his late best friend, for a dangerous mission. The cast also featured Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer in his final film role.

The sequel idea has been in the works for years. In 2010, Paramount Pictures announced plans for a follow-up to the 1986 original, with Cruise, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and director Tony Scott expected to return.

A draft screenplay was written in 2012, but the project stalled after Scott’s death. Production restarted in 2017 when Kosinski was hired to direct. Filming took place from May 2018 to April 2019, using IMAX-certified 6K cameras in locations across California, Washington, and Maryland.

The film’s release was delayed due to complex action sequences and the COVID-19 pandemic. Cruise insisted on a theatrical release rather than selling streaming rights, even when offers were made during the pandemic.

Top Gun: Maverick premiered at CinemaCon in April 2022 and hit theaters in the United States on May 27. The film received widespread praise from critics, with many saying it surpassed the original.

It earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won Best Sound. The movie grossed $1.496 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of Cruise’s career and the second-highest-grossing movie of 2022. Its success proved that a strong theatrical release could remain profitable, even during challenging times for the movie industry.

Kosinski’s update comes after actor Miles Teller revealed in 2022 that he had been pitching a sequel titled Top Gun: Rooster, focusing on his character. Teller also confirmed he had ongoing discussions with Cruise about the project. In May of this year, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie confirmed that he is working on Top Gun 3.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!