Top Gun: Maverick: Cast, Box Office, Streaming Guide

Thirty-six years after the original Top Gun burned itself into pop culture, Tom Cruise returned to the cockpit — and this time, the numbers are even harder to ignore. Top Gun: Maverick didn’t just perform well; it reshaped what a midummer theatrical release could do in a post-pandemic landscape. But behind the jaw-dropping box office headline, fans still have pressing questions: Is it on Netflix yet? Did Val Kilmer and Cruise actually get along on set? And why does it seem like every admiral in the Navy wants Maverick court-martialed?

Release Year: 2022 · Director: Joseph Kosinski · Lead Actor: Tom Cruise · Top Platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV · Key Co-Star Return: Val Kilmer

Six key facts anchor any serious look at Top Gun: Maverick — from the director’s chair to the runtime clock.

Is Top Gun: Maverick hit or flop?

There’s no ambiguity here — the numbers are definitive. Top Gun: Maverick is not merely a hit; it is one of the most successful films in modern cinema history. According to Box Office Mojo official tracker, the film grossed $1,495,696,292 worldwide during its original 2022 run, climbing to $1,503,997,086 after a 40th anniversary re-release in 2026.

Box office earnings

The domestic gross of $718,732,821 (47.8% of total) and international gross of $785,264,265 (52.2%) tell a story of global appetite that Paramount Pictures probably didn’t dare dream during COVID. The film crossed $1 billion worldwide on June 26, 2022 — just 30 days after its May 27 premiere (Wikipedia film entry). It became the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise’s career on June 17, 2022, after clearing $800 million (Wikipedia film entry).

The opening weekend haul was historic: $126.7 million over three days, $160.5 million over the four-day Memorial Day frame (Wikipedia film entry). That was the second weekend drop was a remarkably small 16%, suggesting word-of-mouth momentum that studios rarely see anymore.

Critical reception

Rotten Tomatoes aggregators logged near-universal praise, with the film earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture (Fox News entertainment report). Critics and audiences agreed: Top Gun: Maverick delivered spectacle without sacrificing heart.

Audience scores

Audience polling showed sustained enthusiasm months after release, a rarity in franchise cinema. The University of Michigan’s economic impact analysis called it the biggest box-office earner since the COVID-19 pandemic’s start (University of Michigan economic study).

For anyone wondering whether theatrical cinema survived the streaming era, this film answered with a resounding yes.

Did Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer get along?

The on-screen rivalry between Maverick and Iceman began in 1986. By the time Top Gun: Maverick rolled around in 2022, both actors had aged — Kilmer through significant health challenges — and the question of whether they could recreate that lightning in a bottle took on genuine emotional weight.

On-set relationship

According to Fox News entertainment report, Val Kilmer publicly praised the production, saying his Iceman scene was “the emotional anchor of the film” and that he was thrilled by audience reaction to his reunion with Cruise. Kilmer reportedly maintained a close professional bond with Cruise during filming, though specific private on-set dynamics aren’t publicly documented in detail.

Kilmer described the cast as “perfect,” noting that with “Tom, Joseph Kosinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm, there was no doubt the film would be a smash” (Fox News entertainment report).

Decades-long bond from original Top Gun

Their decades-long history predates the sequel by 36 years. Kilmer’s Iceman scene in Top Gun: Maverick — his final film role before his death in 2025 — gave audiences an emotional payoff decades in the making. ScreenRant film analysis identified the Iceman sequence as the film’s emotional anchor, noting how it connects Maverick’s past to his present.

The implication: whatever friction existed between their characters on-screen, the real-world relationship appears to have been collaborative and warm — at least publicly.

Is Maverick on Netflix or Amazon Prime?

The short answer: not on Netflix, but options exist on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Current streaming availability

Collider streaming report confirms no evidence of Top Gun: Maverick on Netflix as of the latest available data. The film was a Paramount Pictures release, which means primary streaming rights would logically flow to Paramount+ rather than Netflix, which operates on a different studio relationship model.

According to the content plan, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV are listed as top platforms where the film is available — though this typically means rent-or-buy rather than included-with-subscription.

Free with Prime options

Amazon Prime Video’s model varies by title. Some Paramount titles appear on Paramount+ (the studio’s own streaming service), while others appear on Amazon as transactional rentals or purchases. For the most current availability, checking directly within your Prime Video app is the most reliable approach — these arrangements shift as licensing deals expire and renew.

What this means: cord-cutters have options, but “included with your existing Netflix account” is not one of them.

Why does no one like Maverick in Top Gun: Maverick?

The film’s internal tension hinges on a simple premise: Maverick is a legend who doesn’t follow orders, and that makes him dangerous to the brass.

Admirals’ reasons

The admirals’ dislike of Maverick isn’t personal — it’s institutional. In the film’s training mission, Maverick is assigned to prepare a cohort of Top Gun graduates for an operation so classified that even some senior officers are kept in the dark. His insistence on unconventional tactics — flying below radar, using personal judgment over protocol — repeatedly puts him at odds with Rear Admiral Beatrice “Badger” (displayed in the film as a composite of concerns).

The deeper tension: Maverick represents a wildcard in a system that prizes predictability. His survival rate across decades of risk-taking is statistically anomalous, which makes commanders nervous. He inspires awe in younger pilots but anxiety in those who have to sign off on his operational authority.

Plot context for character tension

The Rooster subplot adds personal stakes. Maverick’s conflicted history with Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw — son of his deceased best friend Goose — creates emotional noise on top of operational friction. Admirals see this as a liability: Maverick’s judgment about Rooster specifically may be compromised by guilt, grief, or the desire to protect rather than challenge.

This triple pressure — protocol-bending tactics, institutional distrust, and a personal entanglement — makes Maverick’s position precarious throughout the film. The admirals don’t hate Maverick personally; they distrust his pattern of bending rules until they break.

Did Val Kilmer get paid for Top Gun 2?

This is one of those questions where public data thins out fast. The confirmed facts: Val Kilmer appeared in the film, the scene is widely considered pivotal, and Kilmer publicly praised the experience.

Salary rumors

IMDb-sourced speculation reportedly circulated regarding Kilmer’s compensation, but exact figures aren’t publicly verified in authoritative sources. Wikipedia reports that Wikipedia film entry notes Tom Cruise earned $12–14 million plus a box office gross share exceeding $100 million — but Kilmer’s specific deal terms aren’t documented in the same detail.

Given Kilmer’s health challenges leading up to the film and his limited screen time, industry observers have speculated that his deal may have been structured differently than Cruise’s — possibly a flat fee rather than a gross-participation arrangement. But “speculation” is doing heavy lifting in that sentence.

Role details

What’s not in dispute: Kilmer’s appearance as Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky was his final film role before his death in 2025. His performance, though brief, anchors the film’s emotional through-line. ScreenRant film analysis identified the Iceman sequence as the emotional anchor of the film.

The evidence gap: Kilmer’s compensation terms appear to not have been publicly reported in detail. His presence in the film is confirmed, his performance is praised, and his emotional contribution is widely recognized. The specific financial structure of his deal is simply not in the public record.

Confirmed vs. unclear

What people said

“With Tom, Joseph Kosinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm, there was no doubt the film would be a smash.”

— Val Kilmer, Actor (Iceman), Fox News

“The addition of the new ensemble cast was perfect.”

— Val Kilmer, Actor (Iceman), Fox News

“Val Kilmer’s Iceman scene is considered the emotional anchor of the film.”

— ScreenRant analysis, ScreenRant

The pattern: Val Kilmer’s brief screen time delivered disproportionate emotional impact, a result that surprised even industry observers given his health challenges leading into production.

The verdict for your next move

Top Gun: Maverick is one of those rare sequels that exceeds the original — commercially, critically, and emotionally. The box office data is overwhelming: $1.5 billion worldwide, the biggest theatrical earner since COVID began, and the film that kept small cinemas alive through the recovery years. Whether you’re evaluating it as a streaming subscriber, a fan of the 1986 original, or someone tracking where Paramount’s catalog lives, the picture is clear: this film earned its legacy.

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Tom Cruise reprises Maverick alongside Val Kilmer in the ensemble, where the full cast listmaps out all key actors and their characters.

Frequently asked questions