Jay Ellis has said Tom Cruise and Ehren Kruger are “still working on the script” for the sequel to ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. The development follows the massive success of the previous film, which grossed over $1.49 billion worldwide.
The 43-year-old actor played fighter pilot Lt. Reuben ‘Payback’ Fitch in the 2022 action blockbuster, and has now stressed the follow-up flick is still in development, with co-star and producer Cruise and co-writer Kruger “wanting to get it right”. The original Top Gun franchise has garnered a dedicated fanbase spanning multiple generations since 1986.
“So here’s what the story’s going to be. It’s going to be Payback. No, no,” Ellis said jokingly to US Weekly. “In all honesty, they’re still working on the script. They’re still working on the story. They’re wanting to get it right.” The attention to script development reflects the high standards set by the previous film, which received six Academy Award nominations.
The ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ star added Cruise, 62, was a “stickler” for making the film as good as possible, and was determined to ensure audiences are thoroughly “entertained” by the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ sequel. Cruise’s dedication to perfection has been evident throughout his career, with the actor known for performing his own stunts.
“You know, Tom is a stickler, and that really comes from him wanting to make sure the audience gets what they paid for and that they’re entertained,” Ellis continued. “[So] that for those two hours, they can fully disappear in this theatre, and the world around them doesn’t exist anymore, and [be] fully entertained. That’s where the focus is.” The previous film was praised for its practical effects and real aerial photography.
Reflecting on the upcoming movie, Ellis suggested the ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ sequel should continue to explore the storylines and character arcs introduced in the first and second films. The franchise has been noted for its character development alongside its action sequences.
“[It’s also about] really making sure that this story is not done just to make a movie, but made because these characters are going to make people lean in,” he explained. This commitment to storytelling helped make ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ one of the most successful legacy sequels in cinema history.
The ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ sequel will see the return of Cruise – who will also serve as producer on the flick with Jerry Bruckheimer and David Ellison – alongside Miles Teller and Glen Powell as Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw and Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin respectively. The production team has previously collaborated on numerous successful films.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ filmmaker Joseph Kosinski is also expected to return for the upcoming blockbuster, though it is unknown whether he will direct or produce the movie. Kosinski’s direction of the previous film earned widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
The ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ sequel was confirmed to be in active development at Paramount Pictures in January 2024, though updates have been few and far between since. The studio has maintained a careful approach to announcements, building anticipation among fans.
The last update on the movie came last July, when Powell, 36, said he had been given “a date” for when shooting on the film was slated to begin. The production schedule remains closely guarded to maintain the element of surprise.
After news broke that a ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ sequel was in the works, the ‘Twisters’ star said he had been bombarded by texts asking him to confirm the movie was happening. The announcement generated significant buzz across social media platforms.
“People looked at me like I knew what was going on. There is going to be some fun stuff being announced soon … but it was confidential to me,” he told Variety. “I talk to [Joseph] Kosinski, Cruise and Jerry [Bruckheimer] all the time. There is stuff happening and it sounds very exciting. I don’t know when I’ll be going back … I’m sure there is a jet waiting for me sometime in the future.” The enthusiasm from the cast suggests the sequel will maintain the high-energy atmosphere that made its predecessor a global phenomenon.
