Top Gun: Maverick gave Captain Pete Mitchell a happy ending, but the latest update on Top Gun 3 suggests there is only one way for Tom Cruise's veteran pilot's story to end. In a recent panel, Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski revealed that Captain Mitchell has not retired just yet. Speaking at Deadline's Contenders LA3C panel, Kosinski stated, "It seems to me at the end of this film that Maverick has some gas left in the tank. He’s not settling down." That all but guarantees that, if Top Gun 3 does get the go ahead, Tom Cruise will be returning, despite his character's perfect ending in Top Gun: Maverick.
The end of Top Gun: Maverick saw Captain Mitchell finally resolve his personal issues. The impossible mission he completed with the new group of Top Gun graduates brought him closer to Rooster, the son of Goose who died in Top Gun, and Maverick then flew off into the sunset with his love interest Penny. If ever there was a time to end Maverick's story on a happy note it's now. But although Top Gun: Maverick's ending suggests that Tom Cruise's pilot could retire, Kosinski's latest comment suggests that Maverick will keep flying, and he won't stop until he dies.
Maverick's Story Can Only Truly End With His Death
Maverick is a risk seeker in both Top Gun movies, so if he does carry on flying then it only makes sense that it will end in flames. The opening sequence of Top Gun: Maverick saw Captain Mitchell test the Navy's new Darkstar aircraft to see whether it could reach Mach 10. After reaching that speed he continued to accelerate until the jet broke down at top speed in the sky, proving he cares more about adrenaline-fueled exploits than his own life. If he does step back into the cockpit in Top Gun 3, it will only be for another dangerous adventure that should ultimately be the way he dies.
Maverick's death in Top Gun 3 would continue the franchise's trend of killing off a main character. In Top Gun Goose died after a failed ejection, and after a long battle with throat cancer Iceman passed away in Top Gun: Maverick. Maverick is now the only main character left from the original Top Gun, so it makes sense that the trilogy is wrapped up with his death. Captain Mitchell's death will undoubtedly be a heroic one, and it can be a passing of the torch moment if he sacrifices himself for Top Gun's next big star, like Rooster or Hangman.
Would Top Gun 3 Be Brave Enough To Kill Off Maverick?
Killing off Captain Mitchell in Top Gun 3 would be a brave move given Tom Cruise's star power. Top Gun: Maverick is the highest-grossing movie of 2022, bringing in almost $1.5 billion worldwide, and the nostalgia of seeing Tom Cruise back as Maverick has been a huge reason for the sequel's financial success. Without Cruise, it's unlikely that future Top Gun installments will continue to be as successful despite the popularity of the newly introduced pilots in Top Gun: Maverick.
Although Maverick's death makes sense narratively, the decision could come down to what Tom Cruise wants to work on in the future. Top Gun: Maverick is Cruise's only movie to make $1 billion at the box office, and the evident popularity of his Top Gun films could be a motivating factor to continue playing Captain Mitchell. Tom Cruise is one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors and is already busy with other roles, most notably Ethan Hunt in the upcoming Mission: Impossible sequels, so it may make sense for him to end Captain Mitchell's story on his own terms by having him heroically die in Top Gun 3.