Following rave reviews and extremely strong word-of-mouth, Paramount and Skydance's Top Gun: Maverick is already exceeding expectations, as the long-awaited sequel has earned over $19.3 million from Thursday night previews (and the Tuesday Early Access event).
That number is now Paramount's best preview day gross in its history and also the top figure for any Memorial Day release ever, which should really bode well for its box office prospects over the four-day holiday weekend. Many are now projecting it to definitively become the biggest opening weekend of Tom Cruise's illustrious career.
Leading into the week, the Joseph Kosinski-directed blockbuster was on track to open near $92 million over four days, but new estimations are projecting a $100 million-plus launch stateside, with something closer to $125 million seemingly more likely by the hour.
Globally, the long-awaited action sequel should collect somewhere between $180 million to $200 million total, possibly more, by Tuesday morning. With a production budget of $172.5 million and $150 million in prints and advertising, its break-even number is approximately $410 million, and with a traditional 120-day theatrical window, it seems increasingly likely Maverick will surpass that figure with relative ease by the end of the summer.
Its early box office performance is also very good news for Cruise, as according to Puck founder and former The Hollywood Reporter editor Matthew Belloni, there is a strong chance the 3x Academy Award-nominated megastar will walk away with a hefty nine-figure payday if Top Gun: Maverick continues exceeding expectations.
Check out our exclusive interviews with director Joseph Kosinski and actor Glen Powell (Hangman) below:
In our review, we said, "Top Gun: Maverick is the must-see cinematic experience of the year! Packed with jaw-dropping aerial sequences, thrilling edge-of-your-seat moments, genuine heart, epic romance, huge stakes, and one of the absolute best performances of Tom Cruise's legendary career, this is the theatrical experience you've been waiting for."
Tom Cruise headlines the feature as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, with original co-star Val Kilmer returning as Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. The iconic pair are joined by an all-star supporting cast consisting of Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin, Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Jon Hamm as Vice Admiral Cyclone, Glen Powell as Hangman, Lewis Pullman as Bob, Ed Harris as Rear Admiral, Monica Barbaro as Phoenix, Charles Parnell as Rear Admiral Warlock, Danny Ramirez as Fanboy, Manny Jacinto as Fritz, Bashir Salahuddin as Coleman, Jay Ellis as Payback, Jake Picking in an undisclosed role, Raymond Lee in an undisclosed role, Lyliana Wray as Amelia Benjamin, Jean Louisa Kelly as Carole Bradshaw, Greg Davis as Coyote, and Bob Stephenson in an undisclosed role.
Top Gun: Maverick is now play in theaters worldwide!
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.