Will There Be 'Top Gun 3'? Everything to Know So Far About the Franchise's Third Installment — Including Tom Cruise's Return

Tom Cruise will feel the need… the need for speed again in Top Gun 3.

During the Paramount Pictures' CinemaCon presentation on April 16, Josh Greenstein, co-head of the film production, confirmed the third installment in the Top Gun film franchise is "officially in development with a script underway, reuniting Tom Cruise and Jerry Bruckheimer."

Previously, Jay Ellis said he had no idea whether there would be a sequel following the success of the first two films in the franchise.

"I haven't heard about it, so if you know something, tell me," he told People while at the Academy Museum Gala in October 2022. "No, I don't think there will be. What do I know? Maybe there will be. Maybe there will."

Ellis added, "I mean, we would all love to work together. We'd love to do it again. We'd love to be with Tom again. We'd love to be in the back F18s again. So if we're lucky enough to do it again, I'm sure every single one of us would be there."

Meanwhile, Miles Teller revealed in July 2022 that he and Cruise had "been having some conversations" about a potential follow-up, noting it was "all up" to the lead star.

Then, in August 2022, Glen Powell teased there was "definitely been conversations [but] it's above [his] pay grade."

He added, "It's really up to Tom. It's up to Jerry. It's up to all the powers that be, but if they call me back to Miramar, I'll be there."

It was not until January 2024 when a report revealed Top Gun: Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger was writing the script for Top Gun 3. That same month, Powell joined a panel for his film Hit Man at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival's Chase Sapphire Lounge, where he discussed his future in the Top Gun franchise.

"That is all classified," he quipped.

As Greenstein confirmed, Cruise will return to the franchise to reprise his role as Pete Mitchell.

He first played the role in the eponymous 1986 film before returning in the 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

Top Gun: Maverick co-writer and producer Christopher McQuarrie revealed in a May 2025 episode of Josh Horowitz's "Happy Sad Confused" podcast that the plot for Top Gun 3 was "already in the bag."

"I already know what it is. It wasn't hard," he shared, adding the writers were able to come up with a storyline despite initially thinking it would be difficult to develop the plot.

"You walk into the room going, 'Come on, what are we going to do?' And Ehren Kruger pitched something, and I went 'Hmm, actually…' And we had one conversation about it," he explained. "The framework is there, so no, it's not hard to crack."

Paramount Pictures has not yet announced the official cast of Top Gun 3.

But based on the updates, Cruise could be joined by Teller, Powell, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Jon Hamm and Lewis Pullman.

Meanwhile, Val Kilmer, who played Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in the first two installments, died of pneumonia on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65.

In a 2024 interview, Bruckheimer said they were working on Top Gun 3 after pitching Cruise "a story he liked."

"But he's a very in-demand actor and he's got a lot of movies lined up, so we have to wait and see," the film producer disclosed.

While the official release date of Top Gun 3 has not yet been announced, Powell confirmed he knew when it would begin filming.

"I mean, I have a date," he said during an appearance on a July 2024 episode of "Happy Sad Confused" podcast.