Top Gun 3 is continuing to move through development, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer indicating that a completed script may be arriving soon. After years of speculation following the commercial and critical performance of Top Gun: Maverick, the third installment appears to be inching closer to active production, though key details remain under wraps.
In a recent interview, Bruckheimer suggested that Top Gun 3 is slightly ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 in terms of progress, describing it as a “horse race” between the two projects. According to him, the team is expecting a script shortly. While that signals momentum, it does not necessarily translate to an immediate production start, as large-scale studio films typically undergo further revisions and scheduling coordination before cameras roll.
Top Gun: Maverick set a high bar. The 2022 sequel earned nearly $1.5 billion worldwide and secured an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, reestablishing the franchise as a major theatrical draw decades after the original 1986 film. Its combination of practical aerial photography, legacy characters, and new recruits proved commercially durable, and any follow-up will likely face heightened expectations.
Top Gun 3 is expected to see the return of Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, along with Miles Teller as Rooster and Glen Powell as Hangman. Christopher McQuarrie and Ehren Kruger are attached to co-write the screenplay. Director Joseph Kosinski, who helmed Maverick, has been associated with the project, though formal confirmation of his return has not been finalized.
Kosinski has previously hinted that the story will place Maverick in what he described as an “existential crisis,” suggesting a narrative that pushes beyond another straightforward mission structure. He has implied that the third film could serve as a final chapter for the character, framing it as “one last ride.” Whether that translates into a definitive conclusion for Cruise’s involvement in the franchise remains to be seen.
The creative team’s recent collaboration on F1, another large-scale, aviation-adjacent production backed by Apple, demonstrated that there is still audience appetite for technically ambitious action dramas anchored by practical filmmaking. However, translating that momentum back into the Top Gun universe will require more than spectacle. Maverick’s appeal rested partly on emotional continuity and generational conflict, elements that would need to evolve rather than repeat.
Given the current stage of development and the scale of production involved, a 2028 release appears to be the earliest realistic window. Until a finished script is locked and scheduling aligns—particularly with Cruise’s broader slate—Top Gun 3 remains in active but cautious development.
