Tom Cruise felt the need, the need for speed on Thursday as he ventured out after confirming plans for a third Top Gun film. The thrill-seeking actor, famed for tackling many of his own risky stunts, greeted fans with a cheerful wave while preparing to board his waiting helicopter in London.
Cruise in High Spirits
Cruise, 63, appeared to be in high spirits during his latest appearance in the English capital, and little wonder, with Paramount Pictures confirming a third addition to the lucrative Top Gun universe in April. The planned film will see Cruise reprising his career-defining role as US Naval aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell - a character he first played as an up-and-coming Hollywood star in the original 1986 blockbuster.
Alternative Transport
But he had to make do with an alternative mode of transport following Thursday's announcement, with qualified pilot Cruise offering a thumbs up signal before taking to the skies in his chopper. A licensed pilot since 1994 and owner of his own Airbus H125, the actor regularly flies himself across the United Kingdom, notably for location filming and other work commitments.
Top Gun 3 Announcement
Top Gun 3 was announced during a Paramount Studios showcase at CinemaCon, an annual week-long summit at which Hollywood studios present their biggest upcoming movies to theater owners and press. Paramount film co-head Josh Greenstein said the film was "officially in development with a script well underway," adding that Cruise would reunite with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the project.
Box Office Success
The original 1986 film helped propel Cruise to superstardom, while the 2022 sequel earned an astonishing $1.5 billion worldwide. Legendary director Steven Spielberg publicly credited Cruise with helping to get moviegoers back into theaters after the Covid-19 pandemic with the long-awaited sequel.
The actor was not present during the presentation in April, but did narrate a film used to open the event, which focused on the studio's commitment to releasing films on the big screen. At the end, Cruise - sitting atop the water tower on the studio's lot - says: 'The future looks great from here.'
Paramount's Future Plans
Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison told attendees that the studio would guarantee a 45-day theatrical release window for its films before moving them to streaming platforms. 'Once we combine with Warner Brothers, we're going to make a minimum of 30 films annually,' Ellison said in a pledge to theater owners, adding: 'Long live the movies.'
Paramount has launched a massive $110 billion bid to take over Warner Bros, topping a rival bid from Netflix. But many in Hollywood fear the mega-merger will lead to cuts that will forever change the film industry.
Upcoming Slate
Also on Paramount's upcoming slate is a film adaptation of the popular video game Call of Duty, due in theaters in June 2028. Attendees also saw early footage from Heart of the Beast, a thriller starring Brad Pitt as a military veteran who must survive a plane crash in Alaska with his combat dog. And Johnny Depp showed up to offer a preview of Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, the latest adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens tale, in which he plays the grumpy Scrooge.
