Despite competition from movies like The Batman and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Top Gun: Maverick looks set to remain the year's highest-grossing release.
With a whopping $1.4 billion haul worldwide, the blockbuster also recently passed Avengers: Infinity War to cement its status as the sixth highest-earning movie of all time in North America. Anticipation for the sequel was through the roof, no great surprise after fans were forced to wait 35 years for a follow-up to 1986's Top Gun!
Reviews were also overwhelmingly positive, and there are rumblings online that it could receive a "Best Picture" nod at next year's Academy Awards. In terms of box office, Avatar: The Way of Water might be able to top it, though much of its money will likely be earned in 2023.
In terms of whether another Top Gun movie could happen, there's currently no official word on a threequel. Talking to Deadline, however, director Joseph Kosinski made it clear that he would be down for it, provided he can find a story worth telling.
"Is there another story that is compelling enough that we need to go back?" the filmmaker asked, adding: "It seems to me at the end of this film that Maverick has some gas left in the tank. He’s not settling down."
We're sure Tom Cruise would jump at the chance to return, especially as Top Gun: Maverick is easily the biggest movie of his career. The actor likes to break records (usually through his stuntwork), and any sort of follow-up stands a good chance of being every bit as successful, if not more so, even if many moviegoers have already had their nostalgia fix.
We'll see what happens, but have to believe ideas are already being thrown around for a third instalment that picks up with Maverick and that newly introduced younger cast.
Top Gun: Maverick is now available to watch on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and Digital platforms.