NEW: Top Gun: Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger is now officially at work on a follow-up to the 2022 megahit that will reunite Tom Cruise with co-stars Miles Teller and Glen Powell.@MattBelloni reports. https://t.co/56uOuMnNID

— Puck (@PuckNews) January 12, 2024

Was just coming here to post this. From Belloni's newsletter tonight, which just dropped…

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Top Gun 3 Is Happening (Despite Tom's W.B. Deal): Warner Bros.' Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy got a nice press release out of giving Tom Cruise an office on the lot. But beyond making their boss David Zaslav (and CAA) smile, what did Warners actually achieve in the deal? The "strategic partnership" with Cruise is not exclusive, nor is it a first-look deal. He's tied up on Paramount's Mission: Impossible 8 for the rest of this year. And it hasn't been reported yet, but Top Gun: Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger is now officially at work on a follow-up to the 2022 megahit that will reunite Cruise with co-stars Miles Teller and Glen Powell, as well as producers Jerry Bruckheimer and David Ellison, and Joe Kosinski will either direct or produce. If that script comes together as expected, it could be Cruise's next movie after M:I 8, or he might first do the Doug Liman space movie at Universal, which is still in active development (though NASA is involved, so who knows about the timing there). Either of those would push any Warners projects with Cruise into late 2025, 2026, or beyond.

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Better have Connely!

I just don't see how this can touch the other two. The first one is a classic, and Maverick was able to play that role of giving us those tastes of nostalgia throughout, while also giving us a great story and great action. Trying to accomplish that same thing seems like it will make TG:Maverick not as special.

Just got confirmation from my buddy who worked on Maverick from inception to post. Not only are they in active development, but meetings with Maverick himself took place just before Christmas.

This is happening.

The only thing that would be interesting is a full-out war between the US and "Unnamed Enemy"

DallasTeleAg said:

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I just don't see how this can touch the other two. The first one is a classic, and Maverick was able to play that role of giving us those tastes of nostalgia throughout, while also giving us a great story and great action. Trying to accomplish that same thing seems like it will make TG:Maverick not as special.

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It doesn't need to be as special. A solid jet fighter blockbuster with real flying / practical effects and Tom Cruise starring/producing will still make a billion and be better than 90% of all other blockbusters.

TCTTS said:

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DallasTeleAg said:

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I just don't see how this can touch the other two. The first one is a classic, and Maverick was able to play that role of giving us those tastes of nostalgia throughout, while also giving us a great story and great action. Trying to accomplish that same thing seems like it will make TG:Maverick not as special.

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It doesn't need to be as special. A solid jet fighter blockbuster with real flying / practical effects and Tom Cruise starring/producing will still make a billion and be better than 90% of all other blockbusters.

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I don't really know how to do an interesting sequel though. Part of the magic of TG:M was the throwback style of post-modernist film. If you do that again, fine, but it's not really unique then. It might feel derivative instead of fresh, like TG:M was in spades.

Of course it could also go in a different direction. But now you risk making a movie that's tonally so different from the first two that you're alienating your audience.

On the flip side, they have tons of characters they could explore from TG:M that barely had any development. And Tom Cruise could put his space magic into nearly anything nowadays.

To me, I see it as somewhat akin to a Mission: Impossible movie. Same basic team (with a couple new characters thrown in, of course), just a new incident, a new target, and a new ticking clock. Raise the stakes even more (next generation drones, a more "impossible" target, whatever) - or - like Porkchop said, throw Maverick & co into a full-on war. Either way, I don't see why they can't have another "impossible mission" conceit (a conceit that both franchises now share) and apply it to a new, harrowing event. Heck, maybe the U.S. or even San Diego is attacked, Penny dies, and they're part of some kind of response (or for Maverick, revenge) team.

Granted, the character work is a bit more challenging, seeing as everyone's arcs feel pretty much "complete" by the end of TG:M, all are happy and in their right place, etc. So I'm not quite sure how you challenge them in that regard, or what the overall theme would be, but there's always a wrench you can throw in any situation, like the above.

Also, at heart, both movies are essentially sports movies. The first is about a hot shot who finally learns to quit chasing ghosts and what it takes to become a true wingman/teammate. The second is about an aging coach who comes to grips with his place in the world, ultimately proving one last time that he's still got it. So what's another sports trope that could be applied here, one that takes Maverick's character to a place he's never been?

All I know is that, ultimately, as long as there's plenty of aerial combat, with Maverick in the cockpit doing badass Maverick things, they won't risk alienating their audience, no matter what the in-between filler is.

Wow!!!!


And if Rocky and Rambo can keep the storylines going, surely Top Gun can… but I need to see Chris McQuarry attached to this for sure

Ehren Kruger wrote the initial draft(s) of TG:M as well, then McQuarrie came in and did a big polish/tidied it all up. I'm sure McQ will eventually do the same here, seeing as Cruise seemingly doesn't do anything without him these days.

This is the primary reason I'm so optimistic - it's the exact same creative/producing team behind the last one, a team that's going to swing for the fences and not half-ass it. If anything, Cruise simply won't let them. They're either going to make something worthwhile, or not make it at all. Clearly, though, they at least have an idea they feel is worthy and excites them, or they wouldn't be this far in the process.

I'll probably be seeing my buddy here in the next month or so, and will try to get some story details then. I won't be able to share them, but I can at least say whether I like what I'm hearing.

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So what's another sports trope that could be applied here, one that takes Maverick's character to a place he's never been?

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My treatment:

The US air force's top squadron gets smoked by superior enemy forces in new planes.
Maverick is put in charge to attack the enemy with a group of top international pilots who have come to America's aid. These pilots may or may not have been in a prison.
Maverick is tasked to whip this rag-tag group of pilots together while clashing with the foreigners about American leadership & training style. Someone calls him a "Cowboy". Chaos ensues.

Despair. Maverick rides his motorcycle while 80's synth rock plays & the sun is setting. He looks around.

At a meeting with the full squadron, there is a huge blow up. The team is about to collapse. A passionate speech is given by the weakest & crappiest pilot (A Frenchman in glasses). Maverick begins clapping slowly. Others follow. Soon everyone is clapping and the team is united behind the weakling (call him Lucas).

Everyone plays a soccer match on the beach. Maverick is in blue jeans, shirtless and executes a perfect bicycle kick while wearing aviator sunglasses to score a goal. Jennifer Connelly is watching in a bikini.
The team begins to come together.

The go to a bar to celebrate, Lucas plays piano, Jerry Lee Lewis's "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On".

Jennifer Connelly's clothes come off. International pilots Gal Gadot & Margot Robbie clothes also come off. The team is united.

The go on the mission, fierce fighting ensues. Maverick doesn't fly out initially, but after some early losses he rushes to his jet against the wishes of everyone in charge. He risks court martial. Maverick rallies the troops & makes several impossible maneuvers splashing multiple bogies.

International team begins to whip the baddies, Lucas saves the day by killing someone on Mav's tail (who was under missile lock) but later dies, Maverick avenges him & they win the battle.
The world celebrates.

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I never doubt Cruise's ability to entertain me.

OK, I'm going all in on potential plot ideas. One of them has to be what it will be.

• The bad guys from Maverick were able to get some of his DNA and have cloned their own copy of him, code-named Mitch Patel. Maverick now has to outfly a 25-year-old version of himself.
• Maverick finds out he knocked Kelly McGillis up 40 years ago and he has a son he's never met, to be played by Dave Franco. Dave is an anti-war nut job who hates everything Mav stands for. Now the two have to take a road trip together to save Christmas.
• Terrorists somehow implant a chip in Mav's brain and take control of him. Glen Powell and Miles Teller have to stop him, but can they shoot to kill the man who they knew for 6 weeks a few years ago?
• When aliens attack the Earth, Maverick is unfrozen from deep storage by Generals Powell and Teller to help the US Space Force fight back.
• After getting embarrassed by Maverick at the beginning of the last movie, General Ed Harris takes 100 people hostage on Alcatraz, and Maverick, Nic Cage, and a CGI Sean Connery have to re-take the island.


• Through a series of unlikely events and a rip-off of Tom Clancy, Maverick winds up as President of the United States, only to learn that you can't buzz the tower if you want to balance the budget.
• Top Gun 3: The Search for Iceman's Gold - no explanation required
• All of the sustained trauma from the last few weeks of Maverick put Pete in a full body cast, months of rehab, and psychological counseling. When he gets back to Top Gun, Glenn Powell has absolutely slid into Jennifer Connelly's DMs and she's upgraded to the newer model. Now Mav has to rekindle that spark of love while also learning how to walk again and getting in touch with the real Maverick in counseling.
• It's 25 years in the future and Rooster is now denying his own son, Turkey (Pete Davidson) from entering the Navy. But when Grandpa Mav, now 83 but still a test pilot, shows up unexpectedly for Thanksgiving, hilarity ensues.
• When a giant rupture or something appears at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, Tom Cruise is enlisted to pilot the first JAEGER by Charles Minor from Dunder Mifflin.
• When a Megaladon surfaces off the coast of San Diego, Tom Cruise has to train on the first underwater F-18 to take it down.
• A chance encounter reunites Maverick with Merlin (Tim Robbins) and when the two get locked in a cockpit for 13 hours, old passions reignite and the glass fogs up.
• An HR glitch is discovered, and the Navy realizes Maverick should have been forced into retirement 29 years earlier. Now they're coming for his security clearance, his pension, and his dignity.
• When Maverick Met Goose: Prequel with de-aged Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards getting into all sorts of hijinks, trying to get laid before graduation and irritating the hell out of their commanding officer, Mr. Strickland from Back to the Future.

Quad Dog said:

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jeffk said:

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He'll be fighting rogue AI pilots.

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An aging Maverick and a team of young pilots having to prove that they are still relevant against the new generation of AI controlled fighter jets would actually work.

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They made that movie 20 year ago.

v

Meh. I'll be excited when we get Hot Shots 3. But we will need a new Admiral Benson.

So is this one gonna be The Empire Strikes Back?

After Goose's funeral, Maverick drives Carole Bradshaw and Rooster home. After tucking in Rooster, he whispers that he will take care of him and his mom.

Carol is a hot mess in the kitchen into a half bottle of wine and smoking a cigarette. Maverick coddles her and she then locks eyes with him. They begin to kiss and make out. As Carole starts unbuttoning Mavericks jeans and begins to stroke him off.

"Mommy?" Rooster appears out of nowhere in the kitchen seeking a glass of milk.

"Get back to bed you little sh*t!" Carole Bradshaw becomes a white trash dumpster fire and single mother.

Rooster never forgives Maverick until years later.

Aggie Therapist said:

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After Goose's funeral, Maverick drives Carole Bradshaw and Rooster home. After tucking in Rooster, he whispers that he will take care of him and his mom.

Carol is a hot mess in the kitchen into a half bottle of wine and smoking a cigarette. Maverick coddles her and she then locks eyes with him. They begin to kiss and make out. As Carole starts unbuttoning Mavericks jeans and begins to stroke him off.

"Mommy?" Rooster appears out of nowhere in the kitchen seeking a glass of milk.

"Get back to bed you little sh*t!" Carole Bradshaw becomes a white trash dumpster fire and single mother.

Rooster never forgives Maverick until years later.

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This is perfect coming from a therapist!

Capybara said:

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Rare positive comment on a studio film from me: I liked Maverick. Don't really care for the original personally, but was shocked that something so homoerotic got through the studio system in the 80s. Not complaining of course.

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And here I always thought the volleyball scene was just eye candy to get more girls to see an action movie. Guess we had two different takes on that.

Would be badass if set 10 years into the future and they're fighting a hijacked tyrannical American government that has waged war against a large % of its citizens who won't fall in line, trying to restore America to what it once was.