Why It Ranks
Maverick is the ultimate vindication of practical action filmmaking. Real jets, real G-forces, real danger — and $1.496 billion at the box office. Tom Cruise proved that the theatrical experience still matters, and Kosinski delivered aerial sequences that no amount of CGI could replicate. The rare legacy sequel that surpasses the original.
The Film
Top Gun: Maverick had no business being this good. A legacy sequel to a 1986 popcorn classic, arriving 36 years late, should have been a nostalgia cash-grab. Instead, Joseph Kosinski delivered the most thrilling aviation film ever made and one of the great crowd-pleasing experiences in cinema history.
Tom Cruise insisted that every flying sequence be shot with real actors in real F/A-18 Super Hornets. The cast underwent three months of flight training, learning to operate cameras while pulling 7.5 Gs. The result is aerial action that makes every CGI-reliant blockbuster look like a cartoon. You can see the G-forces distorting the actors’ faces, and you feel it in your chest.
Maverick earned $1.496 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2022 and the biggest hit of Cruise’s career. It proved that audiences will show up in massive numbers for practical filmmaking, genuine star power, and stories that earn their emotional moments.
Fun Facts
Tom Cruise personally designed the flight training program for the cast. Miles Teller vomited repeatedly during early training sessions.
The film was delayed by COVID-19 and nearly sold to a streaming service. Cruise reportedly refused, insisting it deserved a theatrical release.
Every cockpit shot was filmed in real F/A-18 Super Hornets with cameras mounted by the production team.
Maverick overtook the original Top Gun’s lifetime gross in its opening weekend.
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