Tom Cruise reprises his role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the long-awaited sequel. Here, Maverick faces Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the resentful son of the late Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, who died after a mission gone wrong.
Captain Maverick is brought back to the Top Gun training program at the request of Val Kilmer’s Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. The plot mirrors the 1986 film, with Maverick now preparing a class of pilots for a seemingly impossible mission.
Top Gun fans are also offered nostalgia with the sequel’s opening credits that closely replicate the original film. “I wanted that first few minutes to just tell you, this is a Top Gun movie. We love it as much you do," says director Joseph Kosinski.
Following its 1986 release, Top Gun went No. 1 in the domestic box office for the year. Top Gun: Maverick comes 36 years after the release of the original film, making it one of the longest-awaited sequels.
Fans have been excited for the sequel’s premiere since its first trailer debuted in 2019. The film was slated for a 2020 theatrical release but was delayed due to the global pandemic. At last, Top Gun: Maverick is now in theaters.