Top Gun 3: Release date speculation and latest news
Will there be another 36 year wait?
Top Gun 3 is officially happening.
That's right, folks: it was confirmed earlier this year that a third movie was in development at Paramount, with Top Gun: Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger working on the script.
Details have since been scarce, but now Glen Powell has offered an exciting production update.
During an interview with Twisters co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Powell said he has a start date for the filming of Top Gun 3.
When asked whether a new Normal People season or a new Top Gun film would materialise first, Powell said: "I mean, I have a date."
So when could we expect Top Gun 3? Read on for everything you need to know about the film.
Top Gun 3 release date speculation
The film might officially be in development, but there's no official release date as yet.
In May, producer Jerry Bruckheimer said he doesn’t think Top Gun 3 will happen anytime soon, given that Tom Cruise is busy with other projects.
"We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and [Tom] said 'I really like that', so we're developing it," he told ScreenRant.
"But you never know when it's going to get made because Tom is so busy. He's doing Mission: Impossible right now, he's got a picture after it. Hopefully, we'll get a screenplay that he loves, and we'll be back in the air again."
There’s a 36-year gap between Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, but fans are unlikely to have to wait quite this long, not least because Cruise would be 89 years old by then.
Filming on the sequel took around a year, but even if filming kicked off on Top Gun 3 this year, it would be unlikely to materialise until 2026 at least.
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Who could star in Top Gun 3? Our speculation
Tom Cruise and Miles Teller are expected to return as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell and Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw, respectively.
At the time of Top Gun: Maverick's release back in 2022, Rooster expressed interest in reprising his role.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com about the possibility of any more instalments, he said: "Well, I think that's up to Tom [Cruise]. But I mean, yeah, if somebody presents an idea to him, and he thinks it's worthy, and he wants me to continue playing this character – then yeah, I would love to."
Glen Powell confirmed that he will be returning for the movie shortly after it was confirmed back in January 2024.
Speaking to Variety, Powell said: "There is going to be some fun stuff being announced soon… but it was confidential to me.
"I talk to [Joseph] Kosinski, [Tom] Cruise and Jerry [Bruckheimer] all the time. There is stuff happening and it sounds very exciting.
"I don't know when I'll be going back… I'm sure there is a jet waiting for me sometime in the future."
In addition, we could expect returns from Jennifer Connelly as Penny, Lewis Pullman as Robert 'Bob' Floyd and Monica Barbaro as Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace. Jon Hamm could also return as Vice Admiral Beau 'Cyclone' Simpson.
As fans will remember, Val Kilmer’s Iceman met a grisly end, so he's unlikely to be back.
Behind the camera, Top Gun: Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger is working on the script, whilst the sequel’s director Joseph Kosinski is also expected to return.
Is there a Top Gun 3 trailer?
It's too early for footage given that filming is yet to kick off, but watch this space!
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
