Tom Cruise set to return for 'Top Gun 3' as 'Maverick' sequel confirmed

Houston, we have confirmation of a third Top Gun movie.

According to Variety, Tom Cruise is officially set to return for Top Gun 3, with Paramount Pictures confirming the sequel during its CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas.

The next chapter has been quietly in development since 2024, following the massive success of Top Gun: Maverick, which reignited the franchise decades after the original.

Cruise famously reprised his role as Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell 36 years after the 1986 classic, stepping back into the cockpit to train a new generation of pilots. Among them was Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, played by Miles Teller, the son of Maverick’s late best friend Goose.

The sequel is expected to build on that momentum, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer also returning. While plot details remain under wraps, anticipation is already high given the franchise’s track record.

Maverick also featured a mix of rising stars and familiar faces, including Glen Powell and Jennifer Connelly. It also marked the final on-screen appearance of Val Kilmer, whose return as Iceman added a poignant layer to the film before his death in 2025.