It’s not often that a studio releases a sequel 36 years after the original, but that’s precisely the case with Top Gun: Maverick, the follow up to Tom Cruise’s 1986 classic action flick.
There has been talk of a Top Gun sequel since 2010, and even though Cruise is now 59, he’s showing zero signs of slowing down. Here’s what you need to know about Top Gun: Maverick and where you can stream it.
When can you stream Top Gun: Maverick at home?
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Top Gun: Maverick was released on May 26, 2022. It then received a very, very long theatrical release window after it proved itself to be super successful at the box office.
Therefore, it’s taken a while to hit streaming services but we now have a time and place for Top Gun: Maverick’s streaming debut.
In Australia, we’ll be able to watch the Top Gun sequel on Paramount+ from Thursday, December 22, 2022.
What’s the sequel about?
![top gun maverick](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/08/19/top-gun-maverick.jpeg?w=1024)
Cruise returns as Pete’ Maverick’ Mitchell, who’s now a flight instructor mentoring Bradley’ Rooster’ Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his late friend Goose from the first film.
The official synopsis Paramount Pictures released reads:
“After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete’ Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.
“When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialised mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: ‘Rooster,’ the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka ‘Goose’.”
![Miles Teller in Top Gun: Maverick](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/08/19/miles-teller-top-gun-maverick.jpeg?w=768)
“Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.”
Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the film, told the Hollywood Reporter in 2014, “The concept is, basically, are the pilots obsolete because of drones… Cruise is going to show them that they’re not obsolete. They’re here to stay.”
Director Joseph Kosinski spoke of how Maverick has changed since the first film, telling Empire, “In so many ways he’s still the guy that we remember from the first Top Gun.”
“He keeps that old Ninja under a tarp in the hangar and still wears those Ray-Ban aviators. He’s the best at what he does, and he’s given his whole life to aviation.
According to Jon Hamm, there’s not a lot of CGI in the film. What you see is what they actually shot.
“Those guys are really up in planes and getting thrown around in multiple Gs,” he told Jo Blo.
No CGI here. 👀 #TopGunMaverick #behindthescenes pic.twitter.com/oHn76X9208
— Skydance (@Skydance) June 10, 2020
He added that the sequel has “a very similar vibe to the first one”.
Who’s in the cast of Top Gun: Maverick?
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We already know Tom Cruise is back joining the cast lineup for Top Gun: Maverick, but Val Kilmer also returns as Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky.
Speaking with Total Film magazine, director Joe Kosinski highlighted that having Kilmer return for the film was a particularly big win for him.
“That was a huge, huge get – having Val come back to play Iceman.
“To get to work with an actor of that caliber, to see the chemistry, the camaraderie between him and Tom, and to have those two characters reunite in this film, was a really special moment, and one of my favorite parts of the film,” he said.
Miles Teller, as we’ve mentioned, plays Goose’s son, Rooster.
Some of the other stars include Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, Glen Powell and Manny Jacinto.
Kelly McGillis, who starred as Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood in the first film (Maverick’s love interest), revealed to Entertainment Tonight in 2019 that the studio never asked her to return.
“I’m old and I’m fat, and I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about,” she said.
McGillis added that while she doesn’t know Connelly, she’s “so glad that she got that opportunity”.
Ouch.
Can I see a trailer?
Yes! Paramount has dropped a couple of official trailers for the Top Gun: Maverick film, which you can check out below.
You can also check out some of the incredible flight training the cast went through in this new featurette.
Is the movie any good?
After such a long wait a lot of people are probably pretty hesitant to dive back into the Top Gun world. Recently at CinemaCon 2022 attendees were screened the entirety of Top Gun: Maverick and it seems like the film is worth the wait.
Attendees called it “terrific in every conceivable way” and said they were “blown away”. That’s pretty high praise!
Here are some of the first reactions.
One word: Wow! #TopGunMaverick is absolutely terrific in every conceivable way. The action & flying is crazy intense & continually changes & evolves. You’re on the edge of your seat. I was not prepared for how emotional it was, too. The crowd cheered a dozen times. It’s real deal pic.twitter.com/G1dacuZctz
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) April 28, 2022
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is the perfect blockbuster. Not only did it feature dazzling aerial combat sequences, but I actually cried, it’s that emotional. And call me crazy, but I humbly predict that it WILL land a Best Picture nod next year. It’s not just THAT good, it’s VERY good. 😉
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) April 28, 2022
Absolutely loved #TopGunMaverick. Blown away by the cinematography and flying scenes and of course @TomCruise’s performance. Rest of the cast was great with special props to @Miles_Teller and @glenpowell. This is the kind of movie you want to see on the biggest screen possible. pic.twitter.com/PIfs2aGi2v
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) April 28, 2022
Reviews have also begun rolling in on Rotten Tomatoes and the film is sitting at an impressive 97 per cent. Very fresh.
Where can I watch the original?
If you’d like a refresher on the OG film, you can stream Top Gun (1986) on Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime, Binge and Paramount Plus.
This article has been updated since its original publish date.
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