Netflix and Apple may have tested the waters by making inquires, but Paramount made it clear that they have no intention of auctioning Top Gun: Maverick to the highest bidder, despite selling off a number of titles to streaming services in an attempt to recoup some of the financial losses incurred as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Handing over prestige drama The Trial of the Chicago 7 to Netflix and shopping Michael B. Jordan thriller Without Remorse to Amazon is one thing, but the studio would never consider the idea of letting go of a $150 million action-packed blockbuster sequel with Tom Cruise in the lead role, no matter how precarious the immediate future of the theatrical industry might look.
Not only that, but Top Gun: Maverick appears to strike the delicate balance between the past and present. It’s obviously acting as a follow-up to one of the actor’s most beloved movies, but based on the footage we’ve seen so far, the second installment also looks a million miles away from the joyous cheese that permeated every frame of Tony Scott’s classic 1986 original.
The release calendar is currently in the midst of wholesale changes once again, but Paramount’s President of Distribution Chris Aronson revealed that as things stand, the high-octane aerial epic is still set to hit the big screen on July 2nd.
“We have no plans to move our theatrical release of Top Gun. I think the next two months are critical, and whether the new administration can implement a robust vaccination plan. If President Joe Biden’s 100 million vaccines in 100 days works, then I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Of course, a lot could change between now and then, with a host of major movies already moving from the early months of 2021 just to be on the safe side, but if one big budget actioner could convince people to return to their local cinema in great numbers, then there are few better options than the ever-reliable Tom Cruise and Top Gun: Maverick.
