Seeing Top Gun stars past and present will take your breath away.

Mission accomplished Top Gun: Maverick.

The sequel to the decades-long film grossed nearly $1.5 billion at the global box office in 2022, proving that pandemic-weary audiences’ need for speed was greater than any reservations they might have had about sitting in a crowded theater.

The blockbuster was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and won one, for Best Sound. (But shouldn’t there be an honorary award for whoever pulls off the impossible and saves the film?)

Despite being rejected for his subpar performance as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Tom Cruise He received a nomination as a producer for the film, which hit theaters a few years behind schedule because abandoning IMAX screens and the collective feeling of love wasn’t an option.

Fortunately, it was worth the wait — which is never guaranteed when you’re talking about follow-ups to beloved classics (though Glenn Powell The executioner also had a bull’s-eye (20/20-hindsight).

It’s now been 38 years since the original. The best This song first took a special place in the cultural lexicon thanks to its sleek airplanes, perfect soundtrack, shirtless volleyball, barroom melody, and endless dialogue.