Top Gun: Maverickis about to hit a new milestone, as 2022’s biggest movie will be heading back to movie theaters for one last dance to be enjoyed by fans in all its glory this December.
Not content with a worldwide box office nearing $1.5 billion,Top Gun: Maverickwill be in cinemas for a limited time before it heads to the company’s streaming service, Paramount Plus, starting December 22. Although the announcement is a bit unorthodox in today’s movie landscape, the decision embodies what Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures always wanted for the film, consideringTop Gun: Maverickwas delayed so many times before its eventual release this past May.
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In a press release shared by Paramount, the studio specified thatTop Gun: Maverickwill be available for a limited time in the United States, from December 2 through December 15, including screenings in premium formats and IMAX theaters to yet again deliver the same cinematic experience that wowed audiences. Paramount’s President of Domestic Distribution stated the timing is perfect so audiences can experience “how special this film is,” firmly believing “Top Gun: Mavericktruly epitomizes the magic of the moviegoing experience.” Movie tickets for these limited screenings are already up for sale on the film’s websitetopgunmovie.com.
As part of its announcement, Paramount highlighted some of the movie’s achievements, includingTop Gun: Maverick’s current 99% audience scoreand 97% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Paramount also highlightedTop Gun: Maverick’s A+ on CinemaScore, which turned the movie into a rare unanimous hit when combined with similar outstanding marks on IMDb (8.4/10) and Letterboxd (4.1/5). On top of that, the movie has also received plenty of praise from accomplished filmmakers, and its soundtrack briefly landed at the top of most music streaming charts.
In a movie era that has seen so many remakes and sequels try to bank on nostalgia and fail,Top Gun: Maverickbecame the perfect legacy sequel for a franchise believed to be long dead, thus prompting many to wonder if Paramount and Cruise will team up again for another film that could complete Maverick’s trilogy. The fact that the studio has decided to release the film at a relatively quiet time in terms of movie releases is just the perfect icing on the cake because it might just giveTop Gun: Maverickthe extra push it needs to trumpFurious 7andThe Avengersas the ninth highest-grossing film ever.
Coincidentally,Top Gun Maverickwill leave theaters right before another box office great tries to reprise its previous success, withAvatar: The Way of Watercoming out on December 16.The firstAvatarhas retained its recordpartly due to rereleases in China and the U.S. in recent years, so perhaps this might not be the last time moviegoers will get to see Captain Pete Mitchell, even if Cruise can’t be convinced a third time.
Top Gun: Maverickwill again be available in theaters from December 2 through 15, 2022.
