With Top Gun 3 on the horizon, a central question emerges: how hard it is to replace Tom Cruise as Maverick, the iconic lead of the franchise. As the production moves forward, the film industry and fans alike are considering if anyone can convincingly take over the role that has defined both Cruise’s career and the Top Gun series for decades.
Attempts to Replace Tom Cruise in Major Franchises Have Struggled
A look back at the Mission: Impossible films reveals a telling lesson for Top Gun 3 as it contemplates a future without Tom Cruise at the center. Over a decade ago, Mission: Impossible faced its own turning point, following concerns about Cruise’s public image after personal controversies in the early 2000s. As the series prepared for its fourth installment, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, there was widespread speculation about Cruise’s continued popularity, especially given that Mission: Impossible III had underperformed at the box office compared to prior entries.
When Jeremy Renner was cast as William Brandt, many industry watchers assumed he was being positioned to succeed Cruise’s Ethan Hunt as the franchise’s focal character. The expectation was that a fresh face might revitalize the series and reassure its future. However, this assumed transition never materialized. Ghost Protocol’s exceptional critical reception and its $694 million global earning, the highest in the franchise up to that point, restored Cruise’s standing among audiences and critics alike. These developments led to the scrapping of any plans for Renner to take over, demonstrating the formidable challenge in displacing Cruise as the lead in a popular film franchise.
The Legacy and Appeal of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell
In contrast to the earlier Mission: Impossible situation, the conversation around Top Gun 3 isn’t driven by doubts about Cruise’s popularity; instead, it’s shaped by his enduring appeal. Cruise remains a household name, and audiences are eager for his return as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Still, a segment of fans has started to consider who might inherit the Top Gun mantle in future installments, suggesting actors like Miles Teller and Glen Powell from the existing Top Gun cast as plausible successors.
There is broad agreement that both Miles Teller’s Rooster and Glen Powell’s Hangman have the charisma and screen presence to lead the franchise moving forward. Some viewers are already invested in these characters and see them as natural fits for a potential handover.
However, as in the case of Mission: Impossible, the allure of Tom Cruise’s Maverick is hard to match. Anticipation for Top Gun 3 is high, and if its performance echoes the commercial and critical triumph of Top Gun: Maverick, audiences will likely continue to call for Cruise in the lead, making any transition challenging.
Why Top Gun 3 Might Have Better Odds for a Successful Transition
Despite the overwhelming legacy of Tom Cruise, there are reasons to believe that Top Gun 3 is in a more favorable position to shift the spotlight than Mission: Impossible ever was. One key difference is the nature of the action aboard each franchise. Mission: Impossible is now synonymous with Cruise’s daring stunts, many of which he performs personally, giving Ethan Hunt an unmistakable authenticity that’s difficult for any replacement actor to replicate.
“Tom Cruise flew all the planes himself in Top Gun: Maverick, which is obviously impressive, but that franchise doesn’t require the same kind of death-defying stunts that the Mission: Impossible movies do.”
—Unnamed Analyst
This unique aspect of Mission: Impossible means replacing Cruise could fundamentally change the series’ dynamic. In contrast, while Top Gun: Maverick showcased Cruise’s real-life flying abilities, the franchise’s storytelling and emotional engagement do not rest solely on one actor’s physical feats. This opens the door for an actor like Miles Teller or Glen Powell to step up without completely altering the spirit or appeal of the films.
Potential New Lead Characters Already Have Audience Support
The relative strength of the Top Gun ensemble provides a practical advantage when it comes to succession planning. Both Rooster and Hangman have earned fans in their own right, and with well-written character arcs, either could ably fill the void if Cruise were to step aside. Based on current audience sentiment, such a transition would likely receive more acceptance than the untested switch that Mission: Impossible considered years ago.
“Fans believe Miles Teller’s Rooster or Glen Powell’s Hangman would be great choices to lead the Top Gun franchise.”
—Entertainment Reporter
As enthusiasm remains strong for more of Maverick’s story, Top Gun 3 may well be the swan song for Cruise’s character, but it also represents a broader opportunity for the franchise to reinvent itself for a new generation.
The Road Ahead for Top Gun 3 and the Franchise’s Future
Ultimately, the question of how hard it is to replace Tom Cruise as Maverick reflects on the extraordinary connection he has with the character and the audiences who return for every new Top Gun adventure. Movie history indicates replacing such a lead is fraught with risk, but Top Gun 3, thanks to its distinctive narrative style and a strong supporting cast, might offer a viable path forward.
Whether audiences welcome a new face or continue to rally behind Tom Cruise, the future of the Top Gun legacy will hinge on how effectively the story can evolve while honoring what has made Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and Cruise himself, such lasting icons in popular culture.
