The numbers are in and it looks like Paramount and Skydance's Top Gun: Maverick is performing even better than expected, with the sequel earning over $19.3 million from Thursday night previews (and the Tuesday Early Access event).
That figure is Paramount's best preview day gross in history and also the top figure for any Memorial Day release ever, which should bode well for its prospects over the holiday weekend. The Joseph Kosinski-directed blockbuster was already on track to open near $92 million over four days, but now estimates are projecting a $100 million-plus launch stateside, with $125 million not out of the question.
Either way, it looks like Top Gun: Maverick will have the biggest opening weekend of Tom Cruise's career domestically, which is an absolutely remarkable accomplishment.
Globally, the long-awaited action sequel should collect somewhere between $180 million to $200 million total, possibly more, by Tuesday morning. With a production budget of $172.5 million and $150 million in prints and advertising, its break-even number is approximately $410 million and with a traditional 120-day theatrical window, it seems increasingly likely Maverick will surpass that figure with relative ease.
Also, its box office performance is very very good news for Cruise as according to Puck founder and former The Hollywood Reporter editor Matthew Belloni, there is a strong chance the 3x Academy Award-nominated megastar will walk away with a hefty nine-figure payday if Top Gun: Maverick continues exceeding expectations.
Check out our exclusive interviews with director Joseph Kosinski and actor Glen Powell (Hangman) below:
In our review, we said, "Top Gun: Maverick is the must-see cinematic experience of the year! Packed with jaw-dropping aerial sequences, thrilling edge-of-your-seat moments, genuine heart, epic romance, huge stakes, and one of the absolute best performances of Tom Cruise's legendary career, this is the theatrical experience you've been waiting for."
Tom Cruise headlines the feature as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, with original co-star Val Kilmer returning as Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. The iconic pair are joined by an all-star supporting cast consisting of Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin, Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Jon Hamm as Vice Admiral Cyclone, Glen Powell as Hangman, Lewis Pullman as Bob, Ed Harris as Rear Admiral, Monica Barbaro as Phoenix, Charles Parnell as Rear Admiral Warlock, Danny Ramirez as Fanboy, Manny Jacinto as Fritz, Bashir Salahuddin as Coleman, Jay Ellis as Payback, Jake Picking in an undisclosed role, Raymond Lee in an undisclosed role, Lyliana Wray as Amelia Benjamin, Jean Louisa Kelly as Carole Bradshaw, Greg Davis as Coyote, and Bob Stephenson in an undisclosed role.
Top Gun: Maverick is now play in theaters worldwide!
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.