Skip to content
MovieCove
Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick

Feel the need... The need for speed.

2022130 minPG-13Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Joseph Kosinski
Starring
Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Bashir Salahuddin

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell finds himself training a detachment of TOP GUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Top Gun: Maverick?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Top Gun: Maverick streaming on Netflix and Paramount+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Top Gun: Maverick?

Top Gun: Maverick earns 11 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Universally Loved.

Show 3 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Top Gun: Maverick worth watching?

Top Gun: Maverick's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 3.3M ratings across 6 sources. 92% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)98th
Approval (how many liked it)99th

82 /100

98th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2020s

Critics 78 · Audience 82

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

92% liked it

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Action98th percentile among 2020s
92% rated it 7–108% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 99%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 30 wins / 69 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Drama
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Original Song - Motion Picture

91st percentile

3.3M ratings across platforms

83rd percentile among Action92nd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 34% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$177M
Opening weekend$127M
Domestic gross$722M
Worldwide gross$1.5B

Returned 8.5× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a high-octane, nostalgic blockbuster with spectacular practical flying sequences and a heavy dose of Tom Cruise charm, but they differ on whether the story and characters carry enough weight to match the spectacle.

Fans praised

  • practical aerial dogfights and real jets that put you on the edge of your seat
  • Tom Cruise's charisma and physical commitment anchor a nostalgic but satisfying story
  • emotional callbacks and a genuinely moving final act that honors the original

Detractors panned

  • a near scene-by-scene remake of the original that adds little
  • cheesy acting and dialogue that feel stuck in the 80s
  • overhyped; some find the plot thin and the flying sequences repetitive

What stands out

Effects and spectacle90

Real fighter jets and practical stunts deliver unmatched aerial set pieces

Cinematography85

Breathtaking practical jet photography and IMAX-worthy visuals

Tension85

High-stakes missions and dogfights keep viewers on edge

Sound and music82

Roaring jet engines and a stirring score amplify the experience

Pacing75

Tense flight sequences keep the momentum, though some find the first half slow

ActingDivisive72

Tom Cruise's grounded charm and Miles Teller's standout arc; some find supporting cast cheesy

CharactersDivisive68

Maverick's aging arc and new trainees add depth, but some see familiar archetypes

Plot and story65

A nostalgic but straightforward mission framework; some call it a remake

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Top Gun: Maverick like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material entirely straight, with earnest emotion and breathtaking spectacle; it never undercuts its drama or sentiment.
The rideThe intense final mission sequence carries the highest stakes and emotional weight, resolving in a triumphant climax.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional chronological order, following Maverick's return to TOPGUN, training, mission execution, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

Rousing · 10% of filmsHopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you fired up by the action and inspired by the characters' growth, hopeful about reconciliation and legacy, yet bittersweet about lost time and sacrifice.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeMaverick must train a team of elite pilots for a precisely defined bombing mission, while confronting his past and the son of his deceased friend. The goal-driven structure fits quest with a mission subtype, and Maverick's personal arc adds a rebirth element.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Duty · 2% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores Maverick's surrogate fatherhood to Rooster and his unresolved guilt over Goose's death, framed against duty to country.
StanceThe film celebrates family bonds and legacy, framing Maverick's sacrifice and mentorship as heroic and redemptive.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalWildernessIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicFolkForeground music · hybrid
SettingUS Navy aviation — aircraft carriers, test ranges, and an unnamed enemy canyon facility
MusicReprises the iconic 'Top Gun Anthem,' with original score by Harold Faltermeyer and contributions from Hans Zimmer.

Content guide

Is Top Gun: Maverick okay for kids?

PG-13

Top Gun: Maverick is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some strong language” (MPAA). As of October 5, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (34/100), sexual content at mild (18/100), language at moderate (54/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (32/100) and frightening material at moderate (53/100). Overall it is heavier than 48% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 38 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • ArgentinaATP
  • Belgium16
  • BGC
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceK
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • IndiaUA
  • IsraelAll
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • RS14
  • SingaporePG13
  • SK12
  • South Africa13
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan6+
  • TH13
  • Türkiye10+
  • UA12+
  • VNC13
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 31% of all filmsHeavier than 48% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 31%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 25%
Profanity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 51%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 61%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 77% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Top Gun: Maverick have?

MovieCove's classifier found 3 depicted content warnings in Top Gun: Maverick: Animal death (mild), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 1 more is mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory (behind the spoiler gate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MildAnimal death

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Top Gun: Maverick?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Tom Cruise
as Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Miles Teller
as Lt. Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jennifer Connelly
as Penny Benjamin
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bashir Salahuddin
as CWO4 Bernie 'Hondo' Coleman
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Jon Hamm
as Adm. Beau 'Cyclone' Simpson
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Charles Parnell
as Adm. Solomon 'Warlock' Bates
Monica Barbaro
as Lt. Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Lewis Pullman
as Lt. Robert 'Bob' Floyd
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Jay Ellis
as Lt. Reuben 'Payback' Fitch
Danny Ramirez
as Lt. Mickey 'Fanboy' Garcia

Crew

Directed by

Joseph Kosinski

Written by

Ehren Kruger

More like this

What are movies like Top Gun: Maverick?

Movies like Top Gun: Maverick include Top Gun (1986), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and Iron Eagle II (1988). Of the 8 closest matches, two are films written by Ehren Kruger, and several are mission stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Top Gun: Maverick?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: aging hero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.