There are plenty of reasons why Tom Cruise is regularly labeled as “Hollywood’s last movie star”, and the success of Top Gun: Maverick offers many explanations as to why.
In any other case, a blockbuster sequel that earned $600 million at the global box office in less than two weeks, smashed countless records, and won near-universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike would have another installment rushed into development by the time the opening weekend was over, but that’s not how Cruise operates.
The man loves cinema, of that there’s no doubt, so much so that he threatened to lawyer up when he discovered Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning was only being eyed for a 45-day theatrical run. If Top Gun 3 was ever to happen, he’s the one that calls the shots, something director Joseph Kosinski admitted in an interview with Indiewire.
“It took 36 years for Tom to agree to do this one! It’s up to him. He’s the one that has to be convinced. That’s how this project started, with Jerry and I going to Paris to talk Tom into it. It’s all about story. It’s all about emotion. If we can figure out a way, a journey for Maverick to go back and be with these young pilots and figure something out, maybe it could happen. I think for now, we should just enjoy that we got this one.”
Like Kosinski said, it took 36 years for Top Gun 2 to materialize, but Cruise is also smart and savvy enough to know that the chances of matching Maverick in terms of sheer quality and adulation are very thin indeed.
