Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Top Gun: Maverick!
Top Gun 3has just received a major update, and the newest story details have added fuel to the fire when it comes to theories about Maverick’s death. Maverick returned as the protagonist ofTop Gun: Maverick, and while he lived through the second film, someTop Gunfans fully believe that he will see a darker fate inTop Gun 3.
Top Gun: Maverickwas the incredibly successful legacy sequel toTop Gun, with it bringing back Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as he is tasked with training a group of young pilots for a dangerous military mission.Top Gun: Maverickwas a box office hitand a critical darling, meaning that the announcement of a thirdTop Gunis inevitable.
Top Gun 3is officially in the works, and while the filmmaking team is still holding their cards close to their chests, details are finally starting to get revealed. While there was a lot of speculation that Tom Cruise would not return forTop Gun 3,he will officially be back as Maverick, reigniting a major fan theory that existed ahead ofTop Gun: Maverick.
There Have Long Been Theories About Maverick Dying In Top Gun
Even Before Top Gun: Maverick’s Release
As of the end ofTop Gun: Maverick,Tom Cruise’s titular character is still alive. However, this was not the outcome that manyTop Gunfans expected. Ahead of the sequel’s release, there was a lot of speculation that Maverick would die, although this didn’t end up happening.
One of the biggest pieces of evidence that supported this theory came from theTop Gun: Mavericktrailers, which show scenes of a military funeral. Some fans believed that this would be Maverick’s own funeral, with him dying at the end of the film. However, the film revealed that this funeral was actually forIceman, who died at the end ofTop Gun: Maverick.
Some fans even speculated that Maverick would die at the beginning of the sequel, not the end. It was theorized that Maverick could introduce the newTop Gun: Maverickpilots to the audience shortly before dying, continuing a trend that has been seen in many legacy sequels.
While the release of the sequel put this theory to rest, the development ofTop Gun 3means that speculation about Maverick’s death is now back on the menu. Fans are already starting to theorize about the third film killing off Tom Cruise’s character, allowing the cast that was introduced inTop Gun: Maverickto take over the franchise.
Top Gun 3 Being “One Last Ride” Supports The Maverick Death Theory
Tom Cruise Is Finished With Top Gun Either Way
Interestingly, the most recentTop Gun 3update heavily supports the theory that Maverick could die. Director Joseph Kosinski discussed how the third film willhandle the return of Tom Cruise’s Maverick, with him revealing thatTop Gun 3will be the last movie in the franchise to focus on the originalTop Gunprotagonist.
While Maverick will be a big part of the third film, Joseph Kosinski has already confirmed that this is Maverick’s “one last ride.” So, it is clear that Maverick will either be retiring or dying at the end ofTop Gun 3, putting an end to the character’s aerial adventures.
Kosinski also revealed that Maverick will be facing an “existential crisis” inTop Gun 3,with the conflict in the film being “much bigger than himself.“While Kosinski is keeping things vague, Maverick’sTop Gun 3death aligns with all of these teases, meaning that the theory is more likely than ever.
Top Gun 3is being written by Ehren Kruger, the writer of Kosinski’sF1. Kruger previously wroteTop Gun: Maverickalongside Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie, the latter of which has also confirmed that he will be returning. So, the writing team may feel more confident than they did last time, meaning that they may make the leap to killing Maverick.
Why Maverick Shouldn’t Die In Top Gun 3
It Isn’t Right For His Story
Although it is possible that a story could be written that justified Maverick’s death, the Tom Cruise character really shouldn’t die inTop Gun 3. Maverick has been surrounded by death, with him losing Goose in the original film and Iceman inTop Gun: Maverick.Maverick dying as well would be a real downer, and it may not be what the franchise needs.
It is likely that Maverick’s death would be during an air combat mission, and this is something that isn’t needed for the franchise. Having Maverick die in battle would raise a lot of questions about the morality of hero’s deaths and dying for one’s country, and these questions may be a bit too deep for theTop Gunfranchise to delve into.
However,if a story is written that justifies Maverick’s death is written, I am open to it. But killing him off for shock value and as an easy way to wrap up theTop Gunstory would be a bit too lazy, and a better solution can probably be found forTop Gun 3.
Regardless Of Maverick’s Fate, Top Gun 3 Will Be The End Of An Era
Tom Cruise Has Finished His Two Biggest Franchises
Whether Maverick dies or not,Top Gun 3will be Tom Cruise’s finalTop Gunmovie, signaling the end of an era. Kosinski seems pretty firm in the fact that Maverick will not be in a potentialTop Gun 4, meaning that Maverick’s trilogy is going to end after the third film. So, this is a big step for Tom Cruise’s career.
Tom Cruise already left theMission: Impossiblefranchisewith the release ofMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoningin 2025, which itself was a big step for the actor.Mission: Impossiblewas one of Cruise’s most popular franchises, with it helping to define his public persona as a stuntman.
If Cruise also leaves theTop Gunfranchise, it means that his two biggest franchises will be finished. Tom Cruise has repeatedly stated that he wants to keep acting until he dies, but without these two franchises, he will have to rely on more original movies. Thus, Maverick’s story really needs to go out with a bang inTop Gun 3, even if he doesn’t die.
