AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated sequel, Top Gun 3, is officially moving forward. Paramount Pictures confirmed that the script is well underway, bringing back the partnership between Tom Cruise and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. This announcement was made by Paramount’s film co-head, Josh Greenstein, during the CinemaCon event.

While details about the director have not yet been disclosed, the project itself has been in development for several years. Ehren Kruger, who co-wrote Top Gun: Maverick, was hired two years ago to pen the screenplay for the follow-up. The original sequel, directed by Joe Kosinski, starred Tom Cruise alongside Miles Teller and Glen Powell, and was released in 2022.

Top Gun: Maverick was a box office success, grossing $1.5 billion worldwide. Its popularity helped revitalize the movie theater industry post-pandemic, with Steven Spielberg even crediting Tom Cruise for playing a key role in the theatrical business’s recovery.

David Ellison, the current owner of Paramount and producer of Top Gun: Maverick through his company Skydance, highlighted Top Gun 3 as a top priority for the studio during discussions with the press last summer. Ellison also emphasized his ongoing commitment to working with Tom Cruise, with whom he has collaborated on ten films, as long as the star wishes to continue making movies together.

Although Tom Cruise was not physically present onstage for the announcement of the sequel, he played a role in the CinemaCon presentation. The actor opened the event with a special video filmed on the iconic Paramount water tower on Melrose Avenue. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the video featured Tom Cruise providing a voiceover while numerous major stars highlighted some of Paramount’s greatest hits over the years.

The video concluded with Tom Cruise sitting atop the water tower, delivering the line, "The future looks pretty great from here." This moment symbolized both a tribute to Paramount’s legacy and an optimistic look ahead under new leadership.

With the script progressing and key players reunited, the excitement for Top Gun 3 continues to build as fans await further updates on the project’s development and eventual release.