It finally happening. After what felt like a million delays, Top Gun: Maverick finally hit the big screen this past May and has gone on to become not just the biggest film of the summer, and not just the biggest film of 2022, but one of the biggest films of all time.
Nearly 36 years later, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is returning to base in his historic role. Maverick is now a test pilot and is appointed to train a group of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission, and he actively tries to avoid promotion to higher ranks that would stop him from flying.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, Top Gun: Maverick stars Tom Cruise in the titular role along with an ensemble cast featuring, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Miles Teller, and Ed Harris. Val Kilmer also reprises his role of Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky.
Top Gun: Maverick has revived that movie magic and swept us off our feet, even more so than the 1986 film. Here’s a handy guide for you to know about how to watch Top Gun: Maverick, and when and where you can catch the smash hit sequel of the action-drama movie.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated on December 22
When Is Top Gun: Maverick’s Release Date?
The release of Top Gun: Maverick went through several back and forths. Originally, it was scheduled for a release on July 19 but was postponed due to production work delays. The movie was then set for a 2020 release, which also got pushed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other scheduling issues. Finally, the movie premiered at CinemaCon in April 2022, followed by a global premiere in San Diego on May 4, 2022. The action-drama movie also got a screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2022.
Top Gun: Maverick was finally released in theaters across the United States on May 27, 2022.
Is Top Gun: Maverick Streaming Online?
Top Gun: Maverick is now available for purchase on-demand for $19.99 in UHD, HD, and SD. Trust us when we say the film is surely worth the purchase.
Top Gun: Maverick is finally available to stream on Paramount+ as of December 22, 2022.
Top Gun: Maverick is also now available to purchase on 4K UltraHD, Blu-ray, and DVD, as of October 31, 2022. So if you, like us, have been anxiously waiting to add Top Gun: Maverick to your collection of physical media, then you're in luck.
Is Top Gun: Maverick Still in Movie Theaters?
After months and months of playing in theaters, including re-expansions and re-releases, Top Gun: Maverick is no longer in theaters. That being said as the Tom Cruise film continues to gather steam in the Oscar race, there's always a chance it'll make its way back one more time. We'll be sure to update this page if that happens.
Watch Top Gun: Maverick Trailer
The latest official trailer of Top Gun: Maverick is a high-octane ride across the endless sky with Pete Mitchell and his new batch of trainee pilots. Anything we say about the trailer would spoil the experience of watching it or even the movie for that matter. But all we’ll say is that it’s going to be an action-packed, dramatic sequel to the 1986 movie, with thrilling flying sequences, great narrative, and not to mention, a great performance by Cruise in his iconic role, as well as other cast members. The movie is also going to be nostalgic for fans of the original ones, seeing their favorite characters Maverick and Iceman return to the big screen after decades.
As the two-and-a-half-minute clip promises, Top Gun: Maverick definitely looks like a “guaranteed adrenaline rush.”
What Is Top Gun: Maverick About?
Top Gun: Maverick sees Maverick returning to TOPGUN, where he’ll be training a new unit of trainee fighter pilots. But he’s not doing this without a reason. The star pilot has been avoiding rising up the ranks so that he can keep flying, which is what he lives for. But going back to Top Gun also means facing his past, and some demons. This story is Maverick’s test of himself as a pilot, as a mentor, and most importantly as an individual.
What Is the Background of Top Gun: Maverick?
Top Gun: Maverick is dedicated to Tony Scott, director of Top Gun (1986), who passed away in 2021. The story of Top Gun: Maverick takes off more than three decades after the events of Top Gun. In the 1986 movie, Pete Mitchell is a young, hot-shot fighter pilot at TOPGUN, training with the best of best pilots. He’s skilled but a rebel and quickly earns his nickname, “Maverick”, which is going to stick with him for the rest of his life. His arrogance is both his vice and virtue. He keeps pushing himself but also ends up becoming overconfident which gets him into trouble. The movie ends with Maverick proving his merit but losing his best friend, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw.
In the sequel, Maverick will be training Goose’s son, who seems to have some misgivings about his father’s former friend. Other than this and Iceman’s return, the sequel will follow a brand-new plot.
Do You Need to Watch Top Gun Before Top Gun: Maverick?
The simple answer is no. You don’t technically need to watch Top Gun to watch Top Gun: Maverick. But if you want to know what happened decades ago and also get an idea of Pete Mitchell’s character and his equation with his old frenemy Iceman, then you might want to catch up on the first movie. Top Gun: Maverick is the official sequel of the 1986 movie after all, and the first movie could give you some background, but again, it’s not necessary. Top Gun: Maverick takes place more than 30 years after the events of Top Gun. So, in a way, this is a completely new story with new characters, except two returning ones.
Whether you want to watch it for reference or not, Top Gun remains a modern classic and a blockbuster of the 80s, which earned Tom Cruise his stardom. The movie is also significant for its chart-topping songs like “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins and “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin. Top Gun is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Now, suit up and get ready to take off with Maverick, one more time!