Paramount Skydance Boss Confirms Sequel to Tom Cruise’s Action Hit Is a Top Priority

Top Gun: Maverick, the 2022 action drama starring Tom Cruise, was a massive hit. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and written by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie, the film is a sequel to the 1986 original Top Gun.

Cruise returned as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and the movie 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 story follows Maverick as he faces his past while training a group of younger pilots, including the son of his late best friend, for a dangerous mission.

Top Gun: Maverick hit theaters in the United States on May 27. Critics loved the film, often saying it was even better than the original. The American Film Institute named it one of the top ten films of 2022, and it received six nominations at the 95th Academy Awards, winning Best Sound.

The movie earned $1.496 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of Cruise’s career and the second-highest of 2022.

Fans of the franchise don’t have to wait long for more, as a sequel is now in development. David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, called Top Gun 3 a top priority for the studio. Ellison said, “One of our biggest priorities is restoring Paramount as the No. 1 destination for the most talented artists and filmmakers in the world. Great filmmakers make great movies.”

He also confirmed his long-term commitment to working with Tom Cruise, saying he would continue making films with the actor as long as Cruise wanted to tell stories.

In May 2022, Miles Teller revealed that he had been pitching a sequel to Paramount, tentatively titled Top Gun: Rooster, which would focus on his character.

By July of that year, Teller said he had ongoing discussions with Cruise about the project. In January 2024, reports confirmed that a sequel was officially in development. Then in May 2025, Christopher McQuarrie, who worked on the previous film, confirmed that he was writing Top Gun 3.

With the success of Maverick and Cruise’s involvement, fans can expect the next chapter to be a major blockbuster.

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