Top Gun: Maverick Star Jon Hamm Fuels Top Gun 3 Buzz — He’s Ready To Suit Up

Sounds like we are going back to the danger zone. A follow-up to 2022's Top Gun: Maverick is in the works, and the people who made that monster hit happen are more than ready to climb back into the cockpit.

So, what are they saying?

Jay Ellis, who played Reuben 'Payback' Fitch, did not mince words when asked about returning. In November 2022, he told Fox News Digital that the cast would show up without hesitation.

'My whole cast, we would all be there in a heartbeat... We would be grateful to be there.'

Quick refresher: where Maverick left us

Maverick centered on Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Tom Cruise ) as he handpicked and trained a fresh squad of elite aviators for a highly specialized mission. The movie had a long runway — development started back in 2010 — but the patience paid off. It ended up as the second-highest-grossing film of 2022 and the biggest box office hit of Cruise's career. Not bad for a sequel that took over a decade to get airborne.

The new class that helped it soar

Alongside Cruise, Maverick stacked its roster with a sharp lineup of pilots-in-training and squadmates. If this next movie really is taxiing to the runway, do not be surprised if a bunch of these faces strap in again:

• Jay Ellis as Reuben 'Payback' Fitch
• Glen Powell
• Miles Teller
• Lewis Pullman
• Monica Barbaro
• Danny Ramirez
• Manny Jacinto
• Greg Tarzan Davis

Why another one makes sense

Maverick was a rare case of a legacy sequel that actually stuck the landing — big time. After a production that stretched for years, it exploded at the box office and reminded everyone why Cruise is still Cruise. With that kind of momentum, and with cast members openly ready to return, a follow-up feels like the most obvious call since 'hit the brakes and he’ll fly right by.'