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Meet the New Class of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

From trying not to vomit in flight to oiling up for a beach scene, the actors playing pilots got a crash course in the Tom Cruise school of action filmmaking.

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By Ashley Spencer

Thirty-six years after Iceman, Hollywood and Cougar took to the skies in “Top Gun,” a new team of colorfully nicknamed characters are suiting up in “ Top Gun: Maverick.”

This time, the aviators are recent graduates of the Navy’s elite fighter school, a.k.a. Top Gun, and they’re tasked with a near-impossible mission overseen by Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the brash pilot played by Tom Cruise. Flying alongside Rooster, the son of the original film’s ill-fated Goose, are Hangman, Phoenix, Bob, Coyote, Fanboy and Payback, who must help destroy a foreign enemy’s uranium plant and get out alive. (Though the characters all have actual names, they’re introduced by their aviator call signs, and that’s how they’re known.)

The intensive tutelage began offscreen: Cruise monitored the actors’ progress during a grueling five-month training program that culminated in the cast shooting their own action sequences from the back of real F/A-18 jets flown by Navy fighter pilots.

Here’s a peek at the new generation of actors behind the call signs.

Glen Powell

“Maverick” role: Hangman

Where you’ve seen him before: “Set It Up,” “Hidden Figures,” “Scream Queens”

Powell originally auditioned to play Rooster (then called Rascal) but lost out to Miles Teller. Then, when Powell was offered the role that would become Hangman, he turned it down for fear it would be a copy-and-paste take on Val Kilmer’s antagonistic Iceman in the 1986 film. Cruise persuaded Powell to sign on, and they worked together to make the character distinctly Powell’s own. Still, the cocky, confrontational pilot shares more than a few traits with Iceman — as does Powell with Kilmer. When Powell moved out of the San Diego hotel where he had stayed during filming, he bumped into Kilmer, who had just arrived to shoot his scene. “The last things that I moved out of my room were protein powder, weights and tequila,” Powell said. “I’m literally wheeling them on a luggage cart into the elevator, and as the doors are about to close, Val steps in. He looks at me. Then he looks at the luggage cart. And he just started dying laughing. He’s like, ‘This is ‘Top Gun’ right here.’”

Monica Barbaro

“Maverick” role: Phoenix

Where you’ve seen her before: “ The Good Cop,” “Chicago Justice,” “UnREAL”

The military did not allow women to fly in combat until 1993 , and in the first “Top Gun,” all of the Navy fighter pilot characters were men. Barbaro’s role in the sequel is a reflection of the service’s inclusive shift, and her filmed flights were all handled by female Navy fighter pilots. “When I found out I got the part, I was like, ‘Mom, I got it! And guess what? I get to play a pilot. I’m not a love interest!’” the Northern California native said. “We used the women that we got to fly with as role models for how we designed the character.” And while the actors were allowed to change their characters’ call signs, it quickly became clear during the cast’s downtime together that “Phoenix” was a good fit for Barbaro: “Let’s just say, we had one pretty wild night, and the next morning they were surprised that I arose from the ashes.”

Greg Tarzan Davis

“Maverick” role: Coyote

Where you’ve seen him before: “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Good Trouble,” “Chicago P.D.”

Not long before landing “Maverick,” Davis was an elementary schoolteacher in his home state of Louisiana. “I’m a big believer in following your dreams. I would preach that to my students,” Davis said. “But I realized I wasn’t doing that — because my dream was to be an actor. So I decided to give it a shot.” In a role reversal, Davis, who has gone by Tarzan since his own “wild” youth, said he felt like a kid throughout production, enthralled by the aviation toys and tasked with learning new things. While “Maverick” was in postproduction, he got a call from Christopher McQuarrie, the writer-director of “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One”; the frequent Cruise collaborator was asking him to join the cast, no audition required. “I put the phone on mute and jumped up and down and screamed,” Davis said. “That was my first offer, and having an offer is an actor’s dream.”

Lewis Pullman

“Maverick” role: Bob

Where you’ve seen him before: “Outer Range,” “Bad Times at the El Royale,” “Catch-22”

Of all the call signs, Pullman’s “Bob” (also his character’s first name) is the most mysteriously straightforward. “Bob is reclusive and quiet and a hard nut to crack,” Pullman said. “One of the original drafts had this moment where he kind of earned his stripes, and Hangman says, ‘I think I know what Bob stands for: Big Ol’ Balls.’ They didn’t end up using that, but it gave me a reference for Bob’s trajectory. He starts out as this unassuming guy, who then finds his strength.” Pullman needed strength of his own when Cruise walked into the first table read. Despite being the son of the actor Bill Pullman, Lewis was star-struck. “Tom basically ripped through the doors. His motorcycle in the background. He’s got his helmet on. The sun is glistening. He takes his helmet off, and his hair is perfect,” he said. “Tom is like Cary Grant and Buzz Aldrin and Buster Keaton and Evel Knievel all woven into one man.”

“Maverick” role: Payback

Where you’ve seen him before: “Insecure,” “Escape Room,” “The Game”

Ellis distinctly recalls the day his father, who was then a mechanic in the Air Force, took him to see the first “Top Gun” in a theater on base in Austin, Texas. “I remember just looking up at the screen thinking, ‘I want to do that. Whatever those guys are up there doing, I want to be a part of that somehow,’” he said. Rather than enlist, Ellis became an actor. Fast forward three decades, and he found himself shooting “Maverick” and paying homage to the original’s beach volleyball scene with a game of beach football as the camera panned over the cast’s glistening muscles for a sun-dappled montage. “We probably went through five different types of oil because the makeup team was trying to figure out what wouldn’t soak into everyone’s skin so quickly,” Ellis said. “We started out with baby oil, then we moved on to argan oil, coconut oil, avocado oil. We switched to glycerin at one point. They were spraying us down with Evian bottles. It made for a very slippery game.”

Danny Ramirez

“Maverick” role: Fanboy

Where you’ve seen him before: “ The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “On My Block,” “Assassination Nation”

Before signing on, the actors had to check a box attesting they weren’t afraid of flying. “I lied,” Ramirez said with a laugh. “I was like, What’s the worst that could happen? It’s a Tom Cruise movie, that means he’ll be the one doing the stunts.” Without his usual commercial-flight routine of wine and noise-canceling headphones, Ramirez found himself struggling not to vomit as his F/A-18 rolled and dove through the air. The actors each had their own tricks to cope with motion sickness: Davis relied on Dramamine. Pullman preferred a preflight diet of rice and fresh ginger. For Ramirez, slowly building tolerance in incrementally smaller and faster planes was key. Adding to the degree of difficulty: They not only had to deliver their lines, but also set up the shots and adjust the cameras themselves once in the air. “I was like, ‘Are we going to get some kind of camera operator credit or what?’” he said. “Having to line up another jet going 500 miles an hour to stay within the frame was an experience I’m probably never going to have again.”

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Top Gun: Maverick

Where to watch.

Watch Top Gun: Maverick with a subscription on Prime Video, Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, or buy on Fandango at Home.

What to Know

Top Gun: Maverick pulls off a feat even trickier than a 4G inverted dive, delivering a long-belated sequel that surpasses its predecessor in wildly entertaining style.

If you loved the original -- or enjoy some good old-school action -- you need to speed your way to a screening of Top Gun: Maverick .

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Joseph Kosinski

Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Miles Teller

Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

Jennifer Connelly

Penny Benjamin

Adm. Beau "Cyclone" Simpson

Glen Powell

Lt. Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Movie Clips

More like this, movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

Meet the cast of Top Gun: Maverick

Returning stars Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer are joined by a whole host of newcomers in the long-awaited sequel.

Patrick Cremona
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Top Gun is once again soaring to incredible heights at the box office as film buffs flock to cinemas to see the belated sequel Maverick, featuring original stars Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer.

The film delivered the biggest opening weekend of Cruise's career to date, which is no small feat considering the number of high-profile projects he has been attached to over the years.

Critics have also been kind to Maverick, with many considering it a superior film to its precursor and hailing star-making turns from the likes of newcomers Miles Teller and Glen Powell (see our Top Gun: Maverick review for more on that).

The huge success of Maverick has also boosted interest in associated projects, such as the upcoming revival of Willow on Disney Plus , which Kilmer has reportedly been involved with behind-the-scenes in lieu of a physical appearance.

The actor has battled throat cancer, with audiences praising the delicate way in which Maverick addresses that sensitive subject matter.

More like this

Die-hard fans of the original film may be disappointed to learn that Kelly McGillis and Meg Ryan do not reprise their roles for this sequel, with director Joesph Kosinski saying that he never considered bringing either of them back.

"Those weren't stories that we were throwing around," he said. "I didn't want every storyline to always be looking backwards. It was important to introduce some new characters."

His comments follow an earlier statement by McGillis to Entertainment Tonight , where she gave an alternative explanation for her absence from the sequel.

"I'm old and I'm fat and I look age-appropriate for what my age is," she said. "And that is not what that whole scene is about."

Read on for everything you need to know about the Top Gun: Maverick cast.

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Top Gun Maverick cast: New cast and returning character guide

Tom cruise plays captain pete "maverick" mitchell.

Tom Cruise as Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick

Who is Maverick? A test pilot and flight instructor, Maverick was once a highly skilled but often reckless pilot who now passes on his expertise to a younger batch of pilots.

What else has Tom Cruise been in? One of the biggest film stars in the world for almost four decades, Cruise has had lead roles in a number of critical and commercial hits including Risky Business, The Color of Money, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, The Firm, Interview with the Vampire, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky, Minority Report, The Last Samurai, Collateral, War of the Worlds, Knight and Day, Jack Reacher, Oblivion and Edge of Tomorrow.

He also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 ensemble film Magnolia and has played IMF agent Ethan Hunt in six instalments of the Mission: Impossible franchise, a role he will reprise in at least two further films. He first played Maverick in the original Top Gun film back in 1986 and is stepping back into the role 36 years later.

Jennifer Connelly plays Penelope "Penny" Benjamin

Who is Penny? Maverick's new love interest, who is a single mother, bar owner, and the daughter of a former admiral.

What else has Jennifer Connelly been in? Connelly first found fame as a teenager, appearing in films such as Once Upon A Time in America, Phenomena, and Labyrinth, and later garnered acclaim for her performances in the likes of Requiem for a Dream and A Beautiful Mind, the latter of which saw her win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. More recently, she's had a starring role in TV series Snowpiercer and has had film roles in Only the Brave and Alita: Battle Angel.

Miles Teller plays Lieutenant Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

Who is Rooster? A pilot in the mission training group, and the son of Maverick's late RIO and best friend, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, Rooster is the protege of Maverick.

What else has Miles Teller been in? Teller has had main roles in films including Footloose, The Spectacular Now, and Whiplash and starred as Peter Hayes in all three entries in the Divergent series. He also played Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in the critically maligned Fantastic Four film in 2015 and previously collaborated with director Joseph Kosinski in Only the Brave. Top Gun: Maverick is his first film credit in five years, but he did have a main role in TV series Too Old to Die Young in 2019, and will portray Albert S. Ruddy in upcoming series The Offer, which tells the story behind the making of The Godfather.

Glen Powell plays Lieutenant "Hangman" Seresin

Who is Hangman? A mission pilot trainee.

What else has Glen Powell been in? Powell starred as Chad Radwell in the comedy horror series Scream Queens, and has had film roles in a range of features including The Dark Knight Rises,The Expendables 3, Everybody Wants Some!!, Hidden Figures and Set It Up.

Lewis Pullman plays Lieutenant Bob Floyd

Who is Lieutenant Bob Floyd? A mission pilot trainee.

What else has Lewis Pullman been in? Pullman's credits include starring roles in the films The Strangers: Prey at Night and Bad Times at the El Royale and playing Major Major Major Major in four episodes of the TV adaptation of Catch-22.

Ed Harris plays a Rear Admiral

Who is Rear Admiral? Maverick's direct superior and one of the top dogs in the Navy command.

What else has Ed Harris been in? Harris had an impressive and varied big screen CV which has included four Oscar-nominated performances, in Apollo 13, The Truman Show, Pollock, and The Hours. Other highlights from his film career include roles in The Right Stuff, The Abyss, State of Grace, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Firm, Nixon, The Rock, Stepmom, A Beautiful Mind, Enemy at the Gates, A History of Violence, Gone Baby Gone, Snowpiercer, mother!, and The Lost Daughter.

Jon Hamm plays Vice Admiral "Cyclone"

Who is Cyclone? A vice admiral who sometimes butts heads with Maverick – who is never one to play by the rule book.

What else has Jon Hamm been in? Hamm is best known for playing the lead role of Don Draper in the hugely acclaimed series Mad Men – a role which saw him nominated for eight consecutive Best Actor Emmy's, finally winning in 2015. He's also had memorable guest roles in a range of hit sitcoms including 30 Rock, Toast of London, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Parks and Recreation and Curb Your Enthusiasm, while big-screen credits include The Town, Sucker Punch, Bridesmaids, Baby Driver, Bad Times at the El Royale, The Report, and Richard Jewell.

Val Kilmer plays Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky

Who is Iceman? A fellow instructor and former rival of Maverick – who he now on better tems with – Iceman is now the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

What else has Val Kilmer been in? Kilmer is reprising his role from the original Top Gun film – which is one of his most memorable turns in a career that has also included roles in Willow, The Doors, True Romance, Heat and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. He also played Bruce Wayne/Batman in 1995's Batman Forever.

Monica Barbaro plays Lieutenant Natasha "Phoenix" Trace

Who is Phoenix? A mission pilot trainee.

What else has Monica Barbaro been in? This is Barbaro's first major big screen role, but she's previously had main parts in TV shows such as Unreal, Chicago Justice and The Good Cop.

Charles Parnell plays Rear Admiral Warlock

Who is Rear Admiral Warlock? A Naval Flight Officer and graduate of TOPGUN and a commanding admiral.

What else has Charles Parnell been in? Parnell is perhaps best known for playing Police Chief Derek Frye on long-running soap All My Children (the second actor to play the role) and has also starred as Master Chief Russ Jeter on the TNT show The Last Ship.

Jay Ellis plays Lieutenant Reuben "Payback" Fitch

Who is Payback? A Naval Aviator and graduate of TOPGUN.

What else has Jay Ellis been in? Ellis' biggest film role to date has been as Jason Walker in 2019 horror flick Escape Room, while on the small screen he's had main roles as Bryce "Blueprint" Westbrook in The Game and Martin "Lawrence Walker" in Insecure. He also had a recurring role as Franklin Thomas in the hit 2020 miniseries Mrs. America.

Danny Ramirez plays Lieutenant "Fanboy"

Who is Fanboy? Payback's Weapon Sytems Officer.

What else has Danny Ramirez been in? Ramirez's best known roles to date have come on the small screen – starring as Mario Martinez in On My Block and Joaquin Torres in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Previous film roles have included Assassination Nation and Valley Girl.

The cast also includes Greg Tarzan Davis (Grey's Anatomy) as Lieutenant "Coyote", Manny Jacinto (The Good Place) as Fritz, Bashir Salahuddin (Cyrano) as Coleman, Lyliana Wray (Strange Angel) as Amelia Benjamin, Jean Louisa Kelly (Malignant) as Carole Bradshaw, Bob Stephenson (Jericho) as U.S. Air Force General Edward Clayton, Jake Picking (Hollywood), Raymond Lee (Kevin Can F**k Himself), and Chelsea Harris (Snowpiercer).

Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack – All the songs in the sequel

Top Gun: Maverick is released in cinemas on 27th May 2022. While you're waiting, v isit our Movies hub for more news and features or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.

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Top Gun: Maverick — awards, how to watch and everything we know about the Tom Cruise sequel

Top Gun: Maverick is soaring with movie fans. Here's everything you need to know.

Tom Cruise in the cockpit in Top Gun: Maverick

More than 35 years after the original Top Gun , the Tom Cruise blockbuster has gotten a sequel in Top Gun: Maverick .

In the original, Top Gun (1986), a young Cruise stars as the hot-shot pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, as he and his co-pilot Goose (Anthony Edwards) take part in the Navy’s top school for elite fighter pilots. Maverick likes to push it to the limit, but that ends up getting him in trouble and his confidence gets shaken following a tragic accident. But the happy ending prevails and he saves the day and gets the girl.

Top Gun remains a fan-favorite to this day, thanks to numerous factors including a star-making turn from Tom Cruise, memorable supporting characters like Anthony Edwards' Goose and Val Kilmer's Iceman, fantastic '80s tunes like "Danger Zone" and "Take My Breath Away" and incredible aerial sequences. Talk about a sequel has been swirling for years and now its here.

Here is everything you need to know about Top Gun: Maverick .

How to watch Top Gun: Maverick

After being a box-office behemoth (it is the no. 1 movie at the 2022 global box office with $1.48 billion) movie fans can watch Top Gun: Maverick at home . It's available in most regions on Paramount Plus .

Here's how to watch Top Gun: Maverick right now.

Top Gun: Maverick awards and nominations

After dominating the boxoffice, Top Gun: Maverick hopes to dominate awards season too. Here are the nominations and awards that Top Gun: Maverick has earned to date:

Academy Awards

Best Picture (nominee)
Best Adapted Screenplay — Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie, Peter Craig, Justin Marks (nominees)
Best Editing (nominee)
Best Original Song — "Hold My Hand" (nominee)
Best Sound (nominee)
Best Visual Effects (nominee)

Golden Globes

Best Picture: Drama (nominee)
Best Song — "Hold My Hand" (nominee)

Critics Choice Awards

Best Actor — Tom Cruise (nominee)
Best Cinematography (nominee)

London Critics Circle Awards

Film of the Year (nominee)

National Board of Review

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography — Claudio Miranda

New York Film Critics Circle

Best Cinematographer — Claudio Miranda

American Film Institute

AFI Movie of the Year

People's Choice Awards

The Movie of 2022 (nominee)

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films

Best Action/Adventure Film (winner)
Best Actor — Tom Cruise (winner)
Best Director — Joseph Kosinski (nominee)
Best Editing (nominee)
Best Special Effects (nominee)

Top Gun: Maverick plot

Top Gun: Maverick takes place more than 30 years after the events of Top Gun . Maverick is now working as a test pilot and actively attempting to dodge the advancement in rank that would force him to stop flying.

However, his career ends up taking him back to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics School — otherwise known as TOP GUN — where he has to confront his past as he is charged with training a new squadron of fighter pilots.

How long is Top Gun: Maverick?

Top Gun: Maverick has a runtime of two hours and 10 minutes.

What is Top Gun: Maverick rated?

Top Gun: Maverick is rated "PG-13" for US audiences (parents required for anyone under 13) and "12A" for UK moviegoers (suitable for children 12 and over).

Top Gun: Maverick cast

Tom Cruise will be just shy of 60 when Top Gun: Maverick is released, but there is no way Hollywood was going to make Top Gun 2 and not have him back in the cockpit of a fighter jet. Maverick remains one of Cruise’s most iconic roles, so you just can’t have a Top Gun movie without the star reprising the character.

Cruise isn’t the only cast member returning from the original film. Maverick’s frenemy is back, as Val Kilmer will once again play Iceman. Anyone who has seen the documentary Val on Prime Video knows that Kilmer currently uses a voice box to speak after battling throat cancer. Despite his health concerns, Cruise was adamant that Kilmer would return for the sequel.

There will also be plenty of new faces in Top Gun: Maverick . Key to the plot is Miles Teller, who will be playing Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s old co-pilot Goose. Other new members of the cast include Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin , Jon Hamm as Cyclone, Glen Powell as Hangman, Monica Barbaro as Phoenix, Jay Ellis as Payback, Lewis Pullman as Bob, Charles Parnell Warlock, Bashir Salahuddin as Hondo and Ed Harris as Read Admiral Chester "Hammer" Cain.

Find out more about the Top Gun: Maverick cast right here .

Tom Cruise's best stunts — from Mission: Impossible to Edge of Tomorrow
Fifteen of the best Tom Cruise movies — from Risky Business to Top Gun 2

Top Gun: Maverick reviews — what critics said

Top Gun: Maverick is one of the best reviewed movies of the year. It was quickly labeled a "perfect summer blockbuster" and something that needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Official reviews were just as glowing, including What to Watch's Top Gun: Maverick review , which called the movie a "stratospheric sequel" and one that both pays tribute to the original but also surpasses it.

Top Gun: Maverick has a 96% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 78 on Metacritic .

Tom Cruise spoke with What to Watch sister publication Total Film about the movie in an issue earlier in 2022:

Top Gun: Maverick Royal Premiere

Straight from their Cannes screening, the stars headed to London for a Royal Film Premiere. Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly and more walked the red carpet alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Check out pictures from the Top Gun: Maverick UK premiere .

Top Gun: Maverick global premiere

The Top Gun: Maverick global premiere took place on May 4 in San Diego, with the red carpet being held on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum. Not only that, Tom Cruise arrived to the premiere flying a helicopter and landing on the flight deck. Take a look at some of the pictures from the global premiere and quotes from the stars.

Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack — Kenny Loggins "Danger Zone"

Almost as important as which of the cast members would return, fans want to know if Top Gun 's iconic theme song, "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins will be part of Top Gun 2 .

The good news is the answer is yes. Kenny Loggins confirmed on Rob Lowe's podcast, Literally with Rob Lowe , that "Danger Zone" would play in Top Gun: Maverick . So listen to those engines road and get ready to ride back into the danger zone when the movie comes to theaters.

Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack — Lady Gaga "Hold My Hand"

The first new song we've heard about for the soundtrack is from Lady Gaga who wrote a brand new song for Top Gun: Maverick , called "Hold My Hand." We expect this to be the Top Gun 2 equivalent to the original movie's love ballad, Berlin's "Take My Breath Away."

Check out the official music video for "Hold My Hand" right here:

Here's what Lady Gaga had to say about writing the song for Top Gun: Maverick .

When I wrote this song for Top Gun: Maverick, I didn’t even realize the multiple layers it spanned across the film’s heart, my own psyche, and the nature of the world we’ve been living in. I’ve been working on it for years, perfecting it, trying to make it ours. pic.twitter.com/1GReWGW8Ql April 27, 2022

Top Gun: Maverick trailer

Check out all of the trailers released for Top Gun: Maverick directly below:

Paramount has also released a feature that looks at the training that Tom Cruise and the other actors did so that the flight sequences they do in the movie would look and feel authentic. Check it out below:

Another feature details the F18s, the incredible aircrafts that the actors (along with the Naval pilots assisting them) actually flew in for the movie.

Top Gun: Maverick posters

Check out the movie posters for Top Gun: Maverick :

How to watch Top Gun

If you've never seen Top Gun and want to watch it before seeing Top Gun: Maverick or if you've seen the 1986 movie 100 times and just want to watch it again, you can do so right now on Prime Video or Paramount Plus .

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Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca , Moulin Rouge! , Silence of the Lambs , Children of Men , One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars . On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd .

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Tom cruise in ‘top gun: maverick’: film review.

The ace fighter pilot returns 36 years after first feeling the need for speed in Joseph Kosinski’s sequel, also starring Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

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Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete Maverick Mitchell and Miles Teller plays Lt. Bradley Rooster Bradshaw in Top Gun Maverick.

As inescapable a pop-cultural totem as 1986’s Top Gun became, Tony Scott’s testosterone-powered blockbuster has all the narrative complexity of a music video crossed with a military recruitment reel. It’s hard to think of many more emblematic products of the rah-rah patriotism of the Reagan years, with its vigorous salute to American exceptionalism and triumph over a Cold War enemy left purposely vague — hey, don’t want to shut out a lucrative foreign market.

All that has only continued to toxify in the post-Trump age, with patriotism curdling into white supremacy. So depending on where you sit on the political spectrum, your enjoyment of Top Gun: Maverick might depend on how much you’re willing to shut out the real world and surrender to movie-star magic.

Full credits

Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Out of Competition) Distribution: Paramount Production companies: Skydance, Jerry Bruckheimer Films Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer Director: Joseph Kosinski Screenwriters: Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie Story: Peter Craig, Justin Marks, based on characters created by Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr. Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison Executive producers: Tommy Harper, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson Director of photography: Claudio Miranda Production designer: Jeremy Hindle Costume designer: Marlene Stewart Music: Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer Editor: Eddie Hamilton Visual effects supervisor: Ryan Tudhope Aerial coordinator: Kevin LaRosa II Casting: Denise Chamian

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Tom Cruise: All New Movies Coming Out in 2023 and 2024

After his breakthrough with leading roles in ‘Risky Business’ and ‘ Top Gun ‘ in the 1980s, Thomas “Tom” Cruise Mapother IV started bagging pivotal roles in several dramas, including ‘ Born on the Fourth of July ,’ for which he even won a Golden Globe Award and got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. In the 1990s, he rose to newer heights of stardom by featuring in various commercially successful films, such as ‘ A Few Good Men ,’ ‘ Interview with the Vampire ,’ ‘The Firm,’ and ‘ Jerry Maguire .’

Once he impacted dramas, he started traversing the action and sci-fi genres. By landing some iconic roles in the ‘ Mission: Impossible ‘ film series, ‘ Collateral ,’ ‘ Edge of Tomorrow ,’ and ‘ Top Gun: Maverick ,’ he established himself as an action star, performing most of the risky stunts on his own. The winner of three Golden Globe Awards, four nominations for the Oscars, and an Honorary Palme d’Or, Tom Cruise is known to be one of the world’s highest-paid actors. Given his immense popularity and fandom, most of our readers are looking forward to his future projects. Here is a list of all the upcoming movies and TV shows of Tom Cruise!

1. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two (2024)

Tom Cruise recently jumped off a cliff on a motorbike for ‘ Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One ‘ and he will be in action soon enough in its sequel, ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.’ Helmed by Christopher McQuarrie, the spy action movie is the eighth installment in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ film series with Cruise reprising his role as Ethan Hunt for the eighth time running.

Although the plot details are kept under wraps, the action-adventure film is most likely to resume Ethan’s hunt for The Entity as he meets some new friends and foes along the way. The production for the sequel began in March 2022 but is yet to be finished due to the delay caused by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Having gone through several postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to its release date, it is now officially set to be released on June 28, 2024. But it is very much possible that it will get postponed again due to the pause in production.

2. Untitled Tom Cruise/SpaceX Project (TBA)

Tom Cruise is set to take his status as an action star to the next level by traveling out of Earth to film the first ever Hollywood motion picture in outer space. In May 2020, it was reported that Elon Musk’s Space X and Cruise were working on an action-adventure project with NASA. Not only is Cruise expected to be blasted into space alongside filmmaker Doug Liman, with whom he has previously worked in ‘ American Made ‘ and ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ for the upcoming film, but he will also live up to his reputation by attempting to do a space walk outside of the International Space Station. In this movie, Cruise is set to essay the role of a down-on-his-luck man who is the sole person in the position to save Earth. Apart from starring in the film, he is attached to the project as a writer as well as a producer.

3. Live Die Repeat and Repeat (TBA)

A sequel to the 2014 movie ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ ‘Live Die Repeat and Repeat’ is an upcoming science fiction film that will reportedly reunite Tom Cruise and director Doug Liman, with the former set to reprise his role as Major William Cage. Moreover, Emily Blunt is also rumored to portray Rita again, alongside Cruise. Ever since the release of the hit original film, talks of a sequel have been flying around. However, in 2019, it was finally set in motion when Matthew Robinson was brought on to write the script.

Fast forward to a couple of years later, in a May 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly , Emily Blunt revealed, “That was an amazing script, but I just don’t know what the future holds for it. I did read a script that was in really great shape, but it’s just a matter of if that can even happen now. I don’t have the straight answer on that one.” With the project still lingering in the development stage, it is hard to expect it to be brought to life in at least a couple of years.

Top Gun 3 : Everything We Know

Despite Tom Cruise's partnership with Warner Bros., a new report says that Maverick is absolutely returning to the cockpit.

preview for Tom Cruise on his 36 year wait for Top Gun Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski will also return for a third entry, after helming a project that grossed nearly $1.5 billion at the box office. Top Gun: Maverick screenwriter Ehren Kruger will also return. "Is there another story that is compelling enough that we need to go back?" Kosinski mused to Deadline back in December 2022. "It seems to me at the end of this film that Maverick has some gas left in the tank. He’s not settling down."

Our bet is that if the stunts are dangerous enough, Hollywood's favorite adrenaline junkie would sign on for basically anything. The man is still doing all of his own tricks at age 61, and for Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise insisted on having his castmates go through a three-month bootcamp to make sure they were all able to mitigate the potential side effects of being in an F-18. Assuming that was fun for everyone, we see no hiccups here.

Miles Teller also previously revealed that a third film would be "great" during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. " It’s all up to Tom," he said. "I’ve been having some conversations with him about it. We’ll see."

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Everything the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Cast and Crew Have Said About a Potential Sequel

A Top Gun: Maverick sequel hasn’t yet been announced, but both the film’s fans and cast are ready for another round in the danger zone.

“My whole cast, we would all be there in a heartbeat,” Jay Ellis , who played Reuben “Payback” Fitch in the hit movie, told Fox News Digital in November 2022. “We would be grateful to be there.”

Released in May 2022, the action drama followed Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell ( Tom Cruise ) as he recruited and trained a new generation of fighter pilots for a specialized mission. In development since 2010, the movie’s lengthy production process paid off when it became the second-highest-grossing film of 2022 and the highest-grossing film of Cruise’s entire career.

In addition to Ellis, Maverick featured Glen Powell , Miles Teller , Lewis Pullman , Monica Barbaro , Danny Ramirez , Manny Jacinto and Greg Tarzan Davis as some of the recruits vying for a spot on Mitchell’s team. Pullman, for his part, said that watching Cruise in action was one of the best parts about working on the movie.

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“I had to just transform into a sponge and just absorb, absorb, absorb because it was a new lesson every day,” Pullman exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2022. “I’ve never seen anyone approach filmmaking the way he does, and I’ve also never seen someone that far into their career who still has such drive, has such curiosity, has such passion, has such a reluctance to settle, is always trying to make even the smallest scenes better.”

Keep scrolling to see what the cast and crew of Top Gun: Maverick have said about a potential sequel:

Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures

Everything the 'Top Gun: Maverick' Cast and Crew Have Said About a Potential Sequel

A Top Gun: Maverick sequel hasn't yet been announced, but both the film’s fans and cast are ready for another round in the danger zone. "My whole cast, we would all be there in a heartbeat," Jay Ellis , who played Reuben "Payback" Fitch in the hit movie, told Fox News Digital in November 2022. "We would be grateful to be there." Released in May 2022, the action drama followed Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell ( Tom Cruise ) as he recruited and trained a new generation of fighter pilots for a specialized mission. In development since 2010, the movie’s lengthy production process paid off when it became the second-highest-grossing film of 2022 and the highest-grossing film of Cruise's entire career. In addition to Ellis, Maverick featured Glen Powell , Miles Teller , Lewis Pullman , Monica Barbaro , Danny Ramirez , Manny Jacinto and Greg Tarzan Davis as some of the recruits vying for a spot on Mitchell's team. Pullman, for his part, said that watching Cruise in action was one of the best parts about working on the movie. “I had to just transform into a sponge and just absorb, absorb, absorb because it was a new lesson every day," Pullman exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2022. “I’ve never seen anyone approach filmmaking the way he does, and I’ve also never seen someone that far into their career who still has such drive, has such curiosity, has such passion, has such a reluctance to settle, is always trying to make even the smallest scenes better." Keep scrolling to see what the cast and crew of Top Gun: Maverick have said about a potential sequel:

Credit: Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures/Paramount+

Jennifer Connelly

“I’ll be there. I’m ready,” Connelly told Entertainment Tonight of returning for a potential sequel in April 2024. “We had such a great time shooting it. It was fun.”

She also told the outlet that although she hasn’t seen a script for Top Gun: Maverick 2 , she has had conversations about it with Kosinski. “I'm his biggest fan. I think he's so great,” Connelly told the outlet. “[I talked to him] about the possibility of it, but I don't know anything concrete.”

Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Miles Teller

The Whiplash actor said all decisions about a sequel are for Cruise to make. "That would be great, but that's all up to TC," he told Entertainment Tonight in July 2022. "It's all up to Tom. I've been having some conversations with him about it. We'll see."

Credit: AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Glen Powell

"Above my pay grade!" the Scream Queens alum told Variety in January 2023 when asked if a sequel is happening. "It feels like it's less vague than it was at one point, so we'll see."

In October 2022, the former Insecure star told People he hadn't heard anything about a sequel, adding that he'd sign on if given the chance. “I mean, we would all love to work together. We’d love to do it again. We’d love to be with Tom again," he explained. "If we’re lucky enough to do it again, I’m sure every single one of us would be there.”

Credit: Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock

Jerry Bruckheimer

The producer said he wouldn't think about Top Gun 3 until Cruise is finished with his Mission: Impossible commitments. "He's in the middle of shooting Mission: Impossible , he's got a lot of very difficult, hard stunts he's doing," Bruckheimer told Variety in January 2023. "It's not the time to take attention away from what's important to him right now."

Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Joseph Kosinski

The Maverick director said that a third film depends on finding another story worth telling. “Is there another story that is compelling enough that we need to go back?” he told Deadline in December 2022. “It seems to me at the end of this film that Maverick has some gas left in the tank. He’s not settling down.”

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Mission: Impossible 8: Release Date, Cast And Other Things We Know

Dead Reckoning Part One was just the beginning...

Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, and Tom Cruise sailing on a boat in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One.

The Release Date
The Trailer
Other Things We Know

For well over a quarter-century, the Mission: Impossible franchise has served as a vehicle for some of the most iconic movie moments and unforgettable Tom Cruise stunts, which seem to only get more ridiculous with each new movie. With Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning in the rearview mirror, we have our sights set on the latest entry in the series with Mission: Impossible 8 , which was originally called Dead Reckoning Part 2 .

We don’t know a whole lot about the specifics of the eighth Mission: Impossible movie when it comes to its story, but there’s a lot we already know about its release date, cast, and what to expect when it comes to the stunts that will surely leave us with dropped-jaws for years to come.

What Is The Mission: Impossible 8 Release Date?

Tom Cruise runs through a candlelit church in Mission:Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

Unless there are major changes to its release plan, Mission: Impossible 8 will open in theaters on May 23, 2025 , a little less than two years after its predecessor, according to Variety .

We shouldn’t, however, overlook the fact that the franchise's next chapter has already had multiple release dates come and go over the years due to delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the domino effect it had on the entertainment industry.

What Is Mission: Impossible 8’s Story?

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) hanging off a train in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1

No one involved with the project has revealed what exactly will go down when Mission: Impossible 8 opens on the big screen, but it will more than likely pick up some time after the Dead Reckoning ending , which left Ethan Hunt and company on a collision course with Gabriel (Esai Morales) and the mysterious entity. At the same time, Grace ( Hayley Atwell ) announced her plans to join the Impossible Mission Force, which seems to mean she and Ethan will be working together once again. Exactly when and where the movie picks up is anyone’s guess at this time.

Is There A Mission: Impossible 8 Trailer?

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible -- Dead Reckoning

There isn’t a trailer for Mission: Impossible 8 at this time, and we probably won’t see any type of teaser for quite some time as production hasn’t yet wrapped on the latest entry in the spy-action franchise. However, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see the trailer drop later in 2024, maybe with the release of the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 , another high-profile Paramount Pictures release.

Tom Cruise Leads The Mission: Impossible Cast Of Returning Stars

Tom Cruise stands in a crowd wearing sunglasses in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

The Mission: Impossible 8 cast is stacked, even by the franchise’s standards, meaning we’re going to be seeing the return of some iconic characters from over the years, including Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. Let’s catch up with these familiar faces…

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Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt)

tom cruise in mission: impossible - dead reckoning part one

Nearly 30 years after first playing on-the-run IMF agent Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible , Tom Cruise is back in action in the upcoming eighth movie in the franchise. But this isn’t Cruise’s only high-profile project, as he’s also in talks for a Top Gun 3 .

Ving Rhames (Luther Stickell)

Ving Rhames looks concerned as he sits in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

It’s hard to imagine a Mission: Impossible movie without Ving Rhames ’ Luther Stickell, and luckily we won’t have to make that a reality as the prolific hacker will be back by Ethan’s side once again. Now we just need to find out where he went in Dead Reckoning .

Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn)

Simon Pegg stands while looking a bit upset in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Simon Pegg ’s Benji Dunn has been the premier tech guy for Ethan Hunt’s IMF team for the better part of the past two decades, and he’ll once again be a part of the team when Mission: Impossible 8 opens.

Hayley Atwell (Grace)

Hayley Atwell looking slightly concerned in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

Grace, played by Hayley Atwell, quickly made a name for herself in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and it looks like she’ll be a major aspect of the upcoming movie as well.

Vanessa Kirby (Alanna Mitsopolis)

Vanessa Kirby in mission: impossible - dead reckoning part one

Alanna Mitsopolis, aka, the White Widow, is one of Vanessa Kirby’s most interesting characters, and we haven’t seen the end of her just yet. The character, who was introduced in Mission: Impossible – Fallout , will once again be part of the story.

Henry Czerny (Eugene Kittridge)

mission: impossible - dead reckoning part one

Henry Czerny’s Eugene Kittridge ended Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning with some unfinished business, meaning the returning character from the first film will once again be back up to his old games in the eighth installment.

Esai Morales (Gabriel)

Esai Morales in mission: impossible - dead reckoning part one

Unlike a lot of the Mission: Impossible villains, Esai Morales’ Gabriel survived his encounter with Ethan Hunt in Dead Reckoning , meaning the crafty henchman for the Entity will be coming back for more in the next movie.

Pom Klementieff (Paris)

Pom Klementieff in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning

Just months after playing Mantis for potentially the final time in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 , Pom Klementieff introduced a new and more vicious character, Paris, in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning . And while it seemed like the skilled assassin was going to perish in the movie, it looks like she’ll be returning for more action according to Simon Pegg’s Instagram .

The Mission: Impossible 8 Cast Will See Some New Additions

Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1

The Mission: Impossible movies have carried on the stories of the franchise mainstays over the years, but each installment has also added some new faces into the fold. That will once again be the case with the upcoming eighth installment.

Hannah Waddingham

Hannah Waddingham is one of the biggest new additions to the franchise, though it hasn’t been revealed who the Ted Lasso alum will be playing. Waddingham’s involvement was revealed by Deadline back in March 2023, right around the time the Apple TV+ series’ final season was about to kick off.

Holt McCallany (Secretary of Defense Bernstein)

Holt McCallany holding up photograph in Netflix's Mindhunter

In July 2022, Deadline revealed that Holt McCallany, who would go on to star in The Iron Claw , had joined the Mission: Impossible 8 cast as Secretary of Defense Bernstein. This is the latest high-profile role for the Mindhunter star.

Nick Offerman (Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman Sydney)

Nick Offerman speaking from the White House podium in Civil War.

Parks and Recreation alum Nick Offerman will also be joining the Mission: Impossible 8 cast, in which he will play Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman Sydney. During an August 2022 appearance on the Light the Fuse podcast (via ScreenRant ), Offerman said his character was “IMF adjacent.”

Janet McTeer

Janet McTeer will appear in Mission: Impossible 8 , director Christopher McQuarrie revealed in a since-deleted August 2022 tweet (via Collider ). However, it is not yet known who the Tumbleweeds and Albert Nobbs actress will be playing.

Lucy Tulugarjuk

Inuit actress Lucy Tulugarjuk is also joining the Mission: Impossible 8 cast, according to Empire. However, her character’s identity has not yet been revealed.

Production Kicked Off In 2022 But There Have Been Delays

Tom Cruise skids his motorcycle to the edge of a cliff in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

Back when Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and the eighth film were being developed, the plan was to have the movies shot back-to-back. However, several different factors prevented that from happening, and Paramount Pictures decided in February 2021 to change those plans, per Deadline . In March 2022, The Hollywood Reporter announced that principal photography had started on Mission: Impossible 8 , but this too would not be without its own setbacks and delays.

Following a break, Tom Cruise and company took the Mission: Impossible 8 shoot to a United States aircraft carrier off the Italian coast in March 2023. However, with the impending release of Dead Reckoning and the promotion tour supporting it, production was temporarily halted in June 2023. This was followed by the biggest delay of them all when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes brought the entertainment industry to a standstill that summer. There has been no official word on when production will resume or how much of the film is left to be shot.

Mission: Impossible 8 Will BMission: Impossible 8 Won’t Be The End Of The Franchisee A Send-Off For Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible: Fallout

Though there was a time when it seemed like Mission: Impossible 8 would be a send-off for Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and the concluding chapter of the franchise, this no longer appears to be the case. Back in February 2022, Variety reported that the plan was for the final two movies in the franchise to serve as a send-off for Cruise’s character, but nearly a year-and-a-half later in June 2023, Christopher McQuarrie told Fandango (via Fandango Twitter ) that it wasn’t the end and that he and his team had some ideas for what comes next. What exactly comes next is a mystery at this time.

Christopher McQuarrie Has Teased Mission: Impossible 8's Stunts As Being ‘Outrageous’

Ethan and Gabriel fight on a train in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1

From the start, the Mission: Impossible franchise has been one that continues to up the ante when it comes to its stakes and stunts, and it seems like the eighth installment will be no different. When speaking with Empire in June 2023, Christopher McQuarrie hyped the movie as well as one of its stunts, which he described as being “outrageous:”

Tom and I are always trying to get the big shit out of the way first. South Africa was intense. The aerial sequence is… [pause] It’s just outrageous. The thing to remember as you’re watching this monster [a.k.a. Part One] is that another monster waits behind it.

6 Mission: Impossible Missions Ranked On How Impossible They Really Were

McQuarrie stopped short of revealing what the action sequence entails, but going off what we saw in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One ( as well as the earlier movies ), this is going to be nuts.

Only time will tell what will happen with Ethan Hunt’s story in Mission: Impossible 8 , but regardless of what happens, it’s safe to say it’s definitely going to be one of the biggest 2025 movies. While we wait for more information, now would be a good time to go back and watch the Mission: Impossible movies streaming .

Philip grew up in Louisiana (not New Orleans) before moving to St. Louis after graduating from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. When he's not writing about movies or television, Philip can be found being chased by his three kids, telling his dogs to stop barking at the mailman, or chatting about professional wrestling to his wife. Writing gigs with school newspapers, multiple daily newspapers, and other varied job experiences led him to this point where he actually gets to write about movies, shows, wrestling, and documentaries (which is a huge win in his eyes). If the stars properly align, he will talk about For Love Of The Game being the best baseball movie of all time.

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Screen Rant

Mission: impossible 8 - release date, story & everything we know about dead reckoning part 2.

The Mission: Impossible 8 release date is set for 2025, and there's intense speculation on what's next for Ethan Hunt after Dead Reckoning Part One.

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The latest mission: impossible 8 news, mission: impossible 8 release date, mission: impossible 8 cast, mission: impossible 8 story details.

Mission: Impossible 8 - Further News & Info
Mission: Impossible 8 , picking up from Dead Reckoning Part One 's cliffhanger, promises to be the most dangerous mission yet for Ethan Hunt and his team. The suspense is high as fans eagerly anticipate the thrilling twists and turns of the franchise.
The release date for Mission: Impossible 8 has been pushed back to May 23, 2025, and the title will no longer be Dead Reckoning Part Two . Changes in production and a year-long delay suggest significant adjustments are being made to the highly anticipated film.
Despite setbacks, Mission: Impossible 8 is confirmed and production is ongoing. Returning cast members, such as Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames, will be joined by new additions. The storyline remains shrouded in secrecy, leaving fans eager for more details.

Mission: Impossible 8 will pick up from the dramatic cliffhanger left by Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One , and it could be the most dangerous mission of them all. Story details about what was originally titled Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two are still mostly under wraps, and there’s been a lot of speculation about what star Tom Cruise could do to top the incredible feats he's achieved playing IMF agent Ethan Hunt. Since the franchise has already been a rollercoaster of twists, turns, and belief-defying action, expectations for Mission: Impossible 8 are high.

When it arrives in 2025 Mission: Impossible 8 will find Ethan Hunt in a precarious position. Dead Reckoning Part One story saw Ethan and his loyal IMF team chasing after a foe from Ethan's past and a rogue A.I. dubbed "The Entity." Dead Reckoning Part One ends on a cliffhanger with one of Ethan's team dead and a desperate race to find and destroy The Entity before other interested parties can obtain it. The stakes have never been higher for Tom Cruise's super-spy, and the next Mission: Impossible movie is already one of the most eagerly anticipated in the franchise so far.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 Review - Near-Perfect Summer Blockbuster

Bts footage from london.

As the movie continues its lengthy production process, the latest news comes in the form of Mission: Impossible 8 BTS footage . Continuing to film major scenes in London, new footage released on YouTube by user UnBoxPHD shows Cruise and co-star Simon Pegg shooting a scene in which they embrace and enter a crowd of protesters near Trafalgar Square . The context of the scene is unknown at this time, but it is the second major BTS clip released as the movie continues to shoot in the English capital.

Ethan Hunt Returns In May 2025

This will be 29 years after the release of the original Mission: Impossible , ranking it among the longest-running action franchises ever

The Mission: Impossible 8 release date is May 23, 2025 . The premiere was previously set for June 2024 but was pushed back by almost a year by Paramount. This will be 29 years after the release of the original Mission: Impossible , ranking it among the longest-running action franchises ever. Like Dead Reckoning Part One and the preceding two Mission: Impossible movies, Mission: Impossible 8 will be written and directed by Cruise’s long-time collaborator Christopher McQuarrie.

Stream Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One on Paramount+

Cruise Returns As Ethan Hunt

The cast of Mission: Impossible 8 contains many returning names from the cast of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One . Tom Cruise is once again returning as international superspy Ethan Hunt . Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames will also return as Benji and Luther respectively, two of Hunt’s closest friends and most trusted advisors. Other returning cast members of Mission: Impossible 8 include Vanessa Kirby as The White Widow, and Esai Morales as the new villain Gabriel, a shadowy figure from Ethan's past.

Despite Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One ending with assassin Paris being badly wounded, Pom Klementieff is confirmed to return for the Mission: Impossible 8 cast. Rolf Saxon will return to the franchise for Mission: Impossible 8 , reprising his role as CIA analyst William Donloe from the 1996 original. Donloe was last seen being demoted by Henry Czerny's Kittridge — who will also return for M:I 8 — and reassigned to a polar substation in Alaska for the Langley mess.

The entire known cast includes:

Which Actors Return In Mission: Impossible 8 - Cast Guide

The hunt for the sunken submarine continues.

Specifics are being kept under wraps, but there are already some hints at what the Mission: Impossible 8 plot will be. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One ends when Ethan manages to recover the key to The Entity's chamber that everyone is seeking. The issue is that this chamber is located inside the wreck of a Russian submarine dubbed the Sevastopol, and while Ethan's mission is to destroy the rogue A.I., many other nations are trying to recover and potentially weaponize it.

Hunt and his team have no idea where the submarine is, so finding the sunken Sevastopol will likely take up part of Mission: Impossible 8's story . The movie formerly titled Dead Reckoning Part Two will have to answer some other lingering mysteries. There's the question of who exactly was Marie (Mariela Garriga) and what her relationship was with Ethan. Gabriel is shown killing Marie right in front of Ethan in a flashback set 30 years prior, which spurred Ethan to join the IMF.

Other unanswered questions the Mission: Impossible 8 story needs to address include where Luther (Ving Rhames) disappeared with the hard drive containing a piece of the villainous A.I., and why exactly is Jasper Briggs' (Shea Whigham) so intent on bringing in Hunt. The fact his surname is the same as Dan Briggs — the founder and first leader of the IMF team in the original Mission: Impossible TV series — could be a clue in itself.

Mission: Impossible 8

Mission: Impossible 8 is the direct sequel to Dead Reckoning - Part One and is the eighth film in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Said to be the final film, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and more will reprise their roles in Ethan Hunt's IMF team as they face off against a dangerous foe from their past.

Mission: Impossible 8 - Further News & Info

Mission: Impossible 8 Director Teases Return Of Henry Cavill’s Villain
Tom Cruise Rides Upside Down Airplane Wing In Mission: Impossible 8 Stunt Photos
Mission Impossible 8's Dead Reckoning Villain Return Teased By Star: "Hard To Kill!"
Major Mission Impossible 8 Story Detail Has Already Been Spoiled In An Unexpected Way
Tom Cruise Films Action Scene In Set Photos From New Movie (Is It Mission: Impossible 8?)
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Tom Cruise Has A Weirdly Cruel Way Of Keeping Pigeons From Interrupting Filming

Tom Cruise creatively handles pigeon problem on set with birds of prey to ensure smooth filming of Mission: Impossible 8 in Trafalgar Square.
Delays in Mission: Impossible 8 release announced due to SAG-AFTRA strike impact, pushing premiere from June 2024 to May 2025.
Cruise's dedication to delivering high-stake stunts himself in the Mission: Impossible franchise sets it apart, making him a box office draw.

Tom Cruise is back on set as filming for Mission: Impossible 8 has commenced. Though it appears the crew was faced with an unusual problem, Cruise apparently had a creative solution albeit slightly cruel.

Tom Cruise Has A Strict Rule Regarding His Look During Public Events

Why tom cruise invited birds of prey to set.

Apparently, pigeons have been getting in the way of filming at London’s Trafalgar Square, where Cruise’s onscreen character Ethan Hunt must deal with a riot, and not the avian kind. Apparently, Cruise encouraged production to invite handlers with birds of prey to set to keep the pigeons at bay.

It was a clever move and meant the scenes were filmed without a hitch, a source told The Sun.

A variety of birds of prey, including hawks and falcons, have been used on set to combat the pigeon problem. And this certainly isn’t the first time large birds have been used to keep away smaller ones, in the entertainment industry and otherwise.

Though filming has just started on the new Mission: Impossible movie, it won’t release until next summer.

Why Toms New Mission: Impossible Movie Was Delayed

Though filming is underway, Mission: Impossible 8 was already delayed, with the news disappointing fans last October. Paramount Pictures pushed back the release of the film by almost a full year. Originally slated for June 28, 2024, the film's premiere was rescheduled to May 23, 2025.

The delay came as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which caused production on many shows and films to halt. Cruise's involvement in the Mission: Impossible movies has been nothing short of iconic, making it one of the most successful and well-known action movie franchises globally.

As the face of the series, Cruise has played the role of IMF agent Ethan Hunt since its inception. His dedication to performing jaw-dropping stunts himself has become a trademark of the franchise, setting it apart in the action genre.

'Mission Impossible': The Cast Ranked From Richest To Poorest

Since its debut in 1996 with the simply titled Mission: Impossible, the franchise has grossed over $3.5 billion globally , making it one of the highest-grossing film series of all time.

With a net worth of at least $600 million , Cruise makes a substantial pay check for each film, reportedly commanding around $70-100 million per movie , showcasing his value as a box office draw.

While Cruise will clearly be busy overseas for the next few months as he completes the movie, there continue to be rumors around his personal life, as his youngest daughter, Suri, is turning 18. Reports claim the actor hopes to make contact with the teen now that she’s a legal adult, though there have rumblings that Suri and her mother Katie Holmes aren’t interested in communicating.

There have also been rumors about Tom’s connection to Scientology. While it was speculated last year he may be distancing himself from the Church, his appearance at Scientology HQs in London in November seemed to dispel the rumors.

Tom Cruise Has A Weirdly Cruel Way Of Keeping Pigeons From Interrupting Filming

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‘fall guy’ flies high with action, laughs and amazing stunts.

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Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) in "The Fall Guy."

The Fall Guy revs up the summer movie season with an action comedy that fires on all cylinders.

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt’s big-budget stunt movie spectacular is a big-screen adaptation of the hit ABC series The Fall Guy , which ran for five seasons from 1981-86. The action-adventure comedy featured Six Million Dollar Man star Lee Majors as Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlighted as a bounty hunter.

The new version of The Fall Guy — directed by former stuntman-turned-stunt coordinator David Leitch ( Deadpool 2 ) — dispenses with the bounty hunter angle. Instead, Gosling’s character Colt strictly sticks to the script as a Hollywood stunt player, that is until a near-fatal accident breaks his back and shatters his passion for the job.

There were actually two casualties resulting from Colt’s accident, however. Colt not only leaves behind his stunt work to earn a meager living as a Hollywood valet, but he walks away without warning from a burgeoning romantic relationship with Jody Moreno (Blunt) — a camera operator with bigger movie business aspirations.

Eighteen months after calling it a wrap on his stunt career, Colt is coaxed back to work by Gail Meyer (a barely recognizable Hannah Waddingham), a big-shot producer responsible for the blockbuster career of action movie superstar Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).

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Trump media stock djt at risk of a new short selling plunge, ryan garcia what s ostarine and how could a boxer use it to cheat.

Colt thinks he’s jetting over to Australia to work for Jody, who is making her directorial debut with the space alien invasion thriller Metalstorm , but learns that Gail needs him instead to find Tom — who he used to do stunts for — since the actor has gone missing after falling in with a bad crowd.

Adding insult to injury, so to speak, Colt finds out that Jody isn’t handling his abrupt departure from their romance too well and is none too happy to see him.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) and Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) in "The Fall Guy."

‘The Fall Guy’ Has All The Ingredients Of A Summer Popcorn Movie

Naturally, The Fall Guy is loaded with every conceivable plot device you would expect out of a summer movie blockbuster, from lots of intense chase scenes involving lots of metal machinery to hyperkinetic fight sequences.

The Fall Guy also wouldn’t be an action movie without lots of big explosions, which gives the film its requisite crashes, booms and bangs. Topping it all off is Colt Seavers’ and Jody Moreno’s contentious but very funny wobbly romance, highlighting the undeniable chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

Housed within the merry mayhem, however, is a funny script that’s joyfully brought to life by Gosling, Blunt and company, who are clearly having the times of their lives making the film.

Is The Fall Guy too silly for its own good at times? Absolutely. After all, the film provides some trippy laughs thanks to the appearance of a unicorn.

However, for a summer popcorn movie and audiences who want to escape from the madness of the real world for a couple of hours, The Fall Guy hits the bullseye. In short, the movie is outrageously entertaining.

Not surprisingly, not everything is as it seems in The Fall Guy , as the story steadily unfolds to reveal a cleverly plotted conspiracy penned by screenwriter Drew Pearce.

One of the more clever aspects of The Fall Guy is an inside look at the bat (bleep) crazy business of filmmaking, where creatives are constantly running around like movie maniacs setting up shots, ensuring pyrotechnics are working right, making last-minute changes to the script and yes, rushing actors to set on time. After all, the movie business is a cut-throat business where every minute of time is truly money.

As such, other behind-the-scenes players in the movie business are featured in The Fall Guy via the likes of Winston Duke as Colt’s stunt coordinator and best friend Dan Tucker, while Stephanie Hsu plays Tom Ryder’s harried personal assistant Alma Milan. Teresa Palmer also turns up in a supporting role in The Fall Guy as Iggy Starr, Tom’s co-star and alien love interest in Metalstorm .

There are also meta aspects of the film. Essentially, it’s a real trip watching David Leitch creating a movie within a movie with Blunt’s Jody at the helm of a mammoth production loaded with aliens, a large flying saucer, a space cowboy and a futuristic hot rod that looks like it roared straight out of a Mad Max movie.

Leitch Rightfully Gives The Stunt Community Its Due With ‘The Fall Guy’

Apart from the stellar performances of the cast within the movie’s playful atmosphere, the best part of The Fall Guy is Leitch’s overture of appreciation for Hollywood’s stunt community by showcasing what they do best in dozens of dizzying stunt sequences.

Better yet, The Fall Guy makes stunt performers — as well as several other behind-the-scenes creatives — part of the narrative as a way to “thank you” for risking their lives daily with little recognition or reward.

The Fall Guy also contains a choice bit of commentary by calling out in a not-so-subtle way Hollywood’s under-appreciation for the stunt community — specifically with a line that points out how the Oscars have yet to create a category for stunt performers. At least the Screen Actors Guild gets it, having established a Stunt Ensemble SAG Award for film and television performers in 2007.

On top of that, The Fall Guy sheds some humorous light on actors in the industry who claim to do all of their own stunts, which in the case of Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Tom Ryder, is achieved through the deft use of CGI to paste his face on the body of his stunt doubles.

Tom Cruise’s name, not surprisingly, is dropped a couple of times in The Fall Guy , as one of those actors who claims — and has oftentimes shown doing said stunts in production featurettes — to be the real deal. Judging all of his video evidence it certainly looks that way, but naming the blockbuster action star Tom in The Fall Guy , seems to be — just in a teasing sort of way — calling Cruise’s claims into question.

There’s only one way to find out, which would be Cruise taking the role again of the guy who falls from the motorcycle jumping off a cliff like he did in the last Mission: Impossible movie. If not, there seem to be plenty of unnamed stunt professionals out there who can handle the job just fine.

Rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association Rated for “action and violence, drug content and some strong language,” The Fall Guy opens in previews Thursday evening before expanding to theaters nationwide on Friday.

Rating: 8 stars out of 10

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The 7 Best New Movies Coming to Hulu in May 2024

"It’s gonna be May!"

In addition to all the fun memes featuring Justin Timberlake rocking his “ramen noodle” hairstyle while announcing the month, May has plenty of other things to offer! Schools are preparing for prom and graduation, foliage is growing, and Hulu is adding a ton of new content to its platform. With so many options to choose from, this article will help you find your new favorite movie to check out after spending the day outside in the sunshine!

'The Contestant' (2023)

The Contestant is a 2023 documentary about a Japanese reality television show that follows contestant Tomoaki Hamatsu as he agrees to isolate himself in an apartment with no clothing, no food, and no connection to the outside world. The only thing he had for entertainment was a pile of magazines that he had to enter multiple mail-in sweepstakes, and he could only complete his challenge once he was successful in winning ¥1 million (or roughly USD 8,000, at the time). He used the awards from the sweepstakes to clothe and feed himself. The documentary is narrated by Fred Armisen , and interviews the showrunner for the reality show, Susunu! Denpa Shōnen about the ethics of making a real-life version of The Truman Show . Hamatsu spent over a year in isolation but was unaware of the fact that he was being broadcast live the entire time instead of simply being recorded and monitored for safety purposes.

'Prom Dates' (2023)

When high school best friends Jess ( Antonia Gentry ) and Hannah ( Julia Lester ) made a pact at the age of 13 to have the “Best Prom Ever,” they really meant it. The only issue is that they both unexpectedly broke up with their prom dates only 24 hours before their big day. Now, the two of them have to find new dates to take to prom . Filled with high school drama, awkward and embarrassing situations, and moments of unadulterated hilarity, Jess and Hannah will stop at nothing to ensure their pact from years ago is fulfilled. Will they be able to secure new dates or will only one of them be able to, potentially causing a rift in their relationship?

'Elvis' (2022)

This biographical drama depicts the childhood, life, and rise to fame of Elvis Presley in the 1950s, along with his tumultuous relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker ( Tom Hanks ). The film starts with Parker being rushed to a hospital in 1997, where he then recounts how he came to know “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Austin Butler , who plays the titular character, provides the vocal performances for the songs Elvis sang when he was younger, but the original recordings were used for songs performed by the rock star when he was much older and nearing the end of his life. If you’re a fan of Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody , this is a movie you don’t want to miss!

'The Flood' (2023)

During a deadly hurricane in Louisiana, a transport bus full of violent criminals is forced to stop and take shelter in jail at the local sheriff’s department until the storm dies down. They use this last-minute change of plans to attempt to break out, as the emergency services are all tied up helping other residents evacuate. When the flooding begins, it brings with it a group of large, hungry alligators who don’t care if you’re a “good guy” or a “bad guy,” all they see is food. Either way, the survivors of both sides will have to team up if they want to get out of the situation alive.

'Wanted Man' (2023)

Dolph Lundgren stars in this testosterone-fueled action thriller as police officer Travis Johansen, who is tasked with transporting an eyewitness to a massive drug cartel shooting that left several DEA officers dead. Things seem to start just fine until he receives intel that the killings were orchestrated by the United States government. Now, he finds himself a Wanted Man with very few people he can trust completely. When corruption runs that deep, he will have to clear his name and protect the witness on his own if he wants to get out of this alive.

'Last Sentinel' (2023)

Set in 2063, this sci-fi thriller features a small group of soldiers who are stranded on an abandoned military outpost in the middle of the ocean. They are tasked with protecting a weapon while they wait for reinforcements or an attack by the enemy. However, a giant storm approaches, and they have to decide to stay put or attempt to flee on an empty vessel that appears one day with no sign of life onboard. Little to no information is given about what caused this massive conflict, or which continents are involved, but unless there are aliens involved in this thriller… all wars are man-made.

'Sympathy for the Devil' (2023)

Sympathy for the Devil is a fast-paced thriller full of twists and turns as David ( Joel Kinnaman ) is driving to the hospital where his wife is giving birth to their first child. When he comes to a stop, a stranger, only known as “the Passenger” ( Nicolas Cage ), climbs into his car, puts a gun to his head, and instructs him to drive. Knowing very little about the Passenger, David has to find a way to escape, so he can get to his family. David also harbors a dark secret from his past that the Passenger, who, despite seemingly knowing everything about David’s life, doesn’t realize until it’s too late. This game of cat-and-mouse mirrors the 2004 action-thriller Collateral , starring Tom Cruise as the mysterious passenger and Jamie Foxx as his unwilling driver.

Stay tuned here to see what great new movies Hulu will be adding to its platform in June!

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Every movie and show coming to Netflix in May

Dearest readers, Lady Whistledown is back and ready for a romance of her own

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Even with Netflix’s recommendation algorithm serving you new movies, new TV shows, and original programming tailored to your viewing habits, the streaming service’s fire hose of content makes what’s coming difficult to parse.

The next season of Bridgerton is just around the corner — Polin (Penelope and Colin!) fans, this one’s for you! Jennifer Lopez has a sci-fi movie out, and the director of Napoleon Dynamite teams up with the showrunner of UniKitty! for an animated movie about a unicorn who’s not really a unicorn. From the back catalog, we have Shrek and a collection of 1984 movies.

Editor’s pick: The Edge of Seventeen

Nadine (Steinfeld) does the human version of the shrugging kaomoji.

Director: Kelly Fremon Craig Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick

Anyone who was an awkward, self-proclaimed “unlikable” teenage girl will be completely and thoroughly read by The Edge of Seventeen . Hailee Steinfeld plays Nadine, a prickly teen girl coping with her father’s death. After her best friend starts dating Nadine’s brother, Nadine finds herself even more alone in the world, with only her surly English teacher (Woody Harrelson) to turn to. Nadine somehow keeps messing up over and over, but eventually has to confront her own mistakes and flaws. It’s charmingly funny, but also full of raw emotion, with wonderful performances from Steinfeld and Harrelson.

Available Now

DUMB WAYS TO SURVIVE (Netflix Games)

From Netflix: Collect, harvest and hunt your way through the wilderness as a bumbling bean trying to stay alive. Will you die a dummy or use your smarts to survive?

Available sometime in May

MILESTONE MOVIES: THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION - 1984

From Netflix: Break out the acid-washed jeans and don’t forget the shoulder pads, because Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection is heading to the ’80s.

After launching in January to celebrate films marking major anniversaries this year, Netflix is keeping the anniversary festivities going with a packed slate of 1984 movies that are turning the big 4-0 in 2024. The films now streaming in the US include A Nightmare on Elm Street , Sixteen Candles , and Beverly Hills Cop (which is perfectly timed for a rewatch before Beverly Hills Cop: Alex F arrives this summer).

Buying London (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Follow luxury estate agent Daniel Daggers and team as they navigate London’s super prime market, where the drama is as jaw-dropping as the price tags.

The Life You Wanted (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Gloria is finally happy after transitioning and settling down — until a longtime friend reappears with disrupting news and throws her world into chaos.

Monster (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.

Available May 1

Deaw Special: Super Soft Power (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: From an all-star soccer game to awkward dating problems, Thai comic Udom Taephanich shares candid stories from his chaotic life.

Down The Rabbit Hole (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Raised in opulence and culture, 10-year-old Tochtli’s lavish life contrasts with the darkness that seeps in from his father’s criminal activities.

Frankly Speaking (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A well-respected announcer suddenly loses his ability to self-censor on air, catching the attention of a TV writer who invites him on her variety show.

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: The scheming Mallikajaan rules over an elite house of courtesans — but a new rival threatens her reign as rebellion brews in British-ruled India.

Airport Airport ’77 Airport 1975 The Best Man Holiday Blended Blue Mountain State: Season 1 Blue Mountain State: Season 2 Blue Mountain State: Season 3 Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland Eat Pray Love The Edge of Seventeen The Equalizer The Gentlemen Hellboy (2019) Hulk

Jumanji (1995)

Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt sit with a young Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce playing the Jumanji board game

Liar Liar Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa The Matrix Resurrections Mortal Kombat (2021) Mr. & Mrs. Smith The Nutty Professor The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Outlander season 6 Patriots Day Public Enemies Ride Along

Shrek holding a frog blown up like a balloon

Shrek Forever After Starship Troopers Traffic The Wedding Planner White House Down Woody Woodpecker The Young Victoria

Available May 2

A Man in Full (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Facing relentless foes and sudden bankruptcy, an Atlanta real estate tycoon must claw his way back to the top when his empire begins to crumble.

Beautiful Rebel (Netflix Series)

The origin story of one of Italy’s greatest rock stars, Gianna Nannini, who chased her dream despite obstacles from her family and the music industry.

Secrets of the Neanderthals (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: Secrets of the Neanderthals take viewers on a journey from their preconceptions of Neanderthals as a dim-witted creature to a complex and creative people, through the lens of a unique, ongoing excavation and a landmark new discovery - the best preserved Neanderthal skeleton found in over a quarter century.

T・P BON (Netflix Anime)

From Netflix: After Bon accidentally intervenes in a Time Patrol case, he must join Agent Ream in saving innocent lives from the past — while watching history unfold.

Available May 3

John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In LA (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: In six live installments, John Mulaney explores Los Angeles during a week when pretty much every single funny person is in town.

Postcards (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: When a Nigerian single mother travels to India for a medical checkup, her journey will end up touching the lives of everyone she meets.

Selling the OC season 3 (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: The ambitious agents at The Oppenheim Group attempt to up their real estate game as more personal drama interferes with major professional endeavors.

The Unbroken Voice season 2 (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: As her career takes off, Arelys struggles to balance her music and her family life as dangerous new foes threaten to destroy everything.

Unfrosted (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: In a time when milk and cereal ruled breakfast, a fierce corporate battle begins over a revolutionary new pastry. A Pop-Tart comedy from Jerry Seinfeld.

Available May 4

The Atypical Family (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Blessed with superpowers, a man and his family begin to lose their abilities under the weight of the world — until a mysterious woman changes everything.

Katt Williams: Woke Foke (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: Comedian Katt Williams lets loose in real time as he hits the stage on May 4 for Netflix’s second livestreamed stand-up event.

Available May 5

The Peanut Butter Falcon

Roast of Tom Brady (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: Tom Brady will take the hits when sports and comedy stars team up to roast the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.

Available May 6

30 for 30: Broke 30 for 30: Deion’s Double Play 30 for 30: The Two Escobars Reba seasons 1-6

Available May 7

Super Rich in Korea (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Singaporean tycoons, Italian luxury brand heirs, and Pakistani nobles. Explore the lavish lives of multibillionaires living in Korea, and why they came.

Available May 8

The Final: Attack on Wembley (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: With England finally in contention for a major championship, 6,000 ticketless football fans storm Wembley Stadium, leaving destruction in their wake.

Available May 9

Bodkin (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: In this darkly comedic thriller, a crew of podcasters sets out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in an idyllic Irish town.

The Guardian of the Monarchs (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: The forests of Michoacán are home to millions of monarch butterflies. Activist Homero Gómez was highly vocal about its preservation – and then he vanished.

Mother of The Bride (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: In this breezy rom-com, a tropical island wedding teeters on the brink of disaster after the mother of the bride discovers the groom’s father is her ex.

Sing Street

Thank You, Next (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: After a painful breakup, a young lawyer sets out to find true love in the confusing world of modern dating with the support of her best friends.

Available May 10

Blood of Zeus season 2 (Netflix Anime)

Heron in Blood of Zeus firing a fire arrow

From Netflix: To escape the Underworld forever, Hades crafts a plan to claim Zeus’s crown for himself and reunite with his beloved Persephone as ruler of Olympus.

Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Román (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: This docuseries analyzes a murder case implicating a Spanish chef, who built a career in the spotlight through a web of secrets and false identities.

Living with Leopards (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: A film crew follows two leopard cubs as they make the fascinating journey from infancy into adulthood in this up-close-and-personal nature documentary.

Pokémon Horizons: The Series part 2 (Netflix Family)

From Netflix: The Rising Volt Tacklers continue their daring quest to find the black Rayquaza, with Liko and Roy upping their skills at every twist and turn!

The Ultimatum: South Africa (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A six-way partner-swap sparks wild attractions and tearful betrayals. Participants choose whom to love and leave in this heart-pounding experiment.

Available May 11

Mark Twain Prize Award: Kevin Hart (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: Comedy’s biggest stars gather to honor — and roast — Kevin Hart as he accepts the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in a heartfelt, hilarious ceremony.

Available May 13

Archer seasons 1-13

Princess Power season 3 (Netflix Family)

From Netflix: After their coronation, the princesses have a new challenge: getting accepted to the Princess Adventure Academy! But first they must complete six quests.

Available May 14

Married at First Sight season 15

Available May 15

Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: When a dating site for people seeking adulterous affairs is hacked, millions of users’ intimate data is exposed, wrecking marriages and destroying lives.

The Clovehitch Killer

Available May 16

Bridgerton season 3 part 1 (Netflix Series)

Colin and Penelope sit on a bench in a garden

From Netflix: As a new crop of debutantes yearns to become the brightest of the ball, a wallflower with a double life finds her light amid secrets and surprises.

Dumb and Dumber To

Maestro in Blue season 2 (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: The consequences of a murder soon spread from the island of Paxos to Athens, forcing everyone to face their secrets and seek the truth — or hide it.

Available May 17

The 8 Show (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Eight individuals trapped in a mysterious 8-story building participate in an irresistible but brutal show where they earn money as time passes.

Power (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: Driven to contain threats to social order, American policing has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, it can be described by one word: power.

Thelma the Unicorn (Netflix Family)

Thelma the Unicorn, a pink-furred, short, chubby unicorn with a wildly curly and tangled grey mane, looks delighted as a snaggle-toothed man wearing gold rings, tinted glasses, and a blue suit leans in to whisper to her in Netflix’s animated movie Thelma the Unicorn

From Netflix: A singing pony who dreams of stardom finds instant fame when she transforms into a sparkly unicorn — but becoming a celebrity is one wild ride.

Available May 19

A Simple Favor

Golden Kamuy (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: On the Hokkaido frontier, a war veteran and Ainu girl race against misfits and military renegades to find treasure mapped out on tattooed outlaws.

Available May 20

The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties season 4 (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: In a globe-trotting season spanning four continents, the international success of the family business gives the Kretzes a taste for travel and adventure.

Available May 21

Rachel Feinstein: Big Guy (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: From her firefighter husband’s unflattering pet name to her mom’s aggressive accessorizing, Rachel Feinstein lets loose in this stand-up comedy special.

Wildfire seasons 1-4

Available May 22

Act Your Age season 1

Toughest Forces on Earth (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: This docu-series surveys military combat forces across the world to see how they train for dangerous missions using specialized equipment.

Available May 23

El vendedor de ilusiones: El caso Generación Zoe (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: This documentary follows the rise and fall of Generation Zoe, a spiritual coaching network hiding the most unusual scam in Argentina’s history.

Franco Escamilla: Ladies’ Man (Netflix Comedy)

From Netflix: Franco Escamilla takes the stage with tales of teenage romance gone wrong, featuring painfully long kisses and rockstar cameos with surprising outcomes.

Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf (Netflix Anime)

From Netflix: On the run from a past crime, Juzo Fujimaki is blackmailed into joining an illicit tournament and has to face top martial artists in deadly match-ups.

In Good Hands 2 (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A newly reunited father and son grapple with new beginnings after tragedy, but can they manage to fill the void left by a beloved mother and wife?

Tires (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: At his father’s auto shop, a hapless manager strives to improve customer service and drive profits while keeping his troublemaking cousin in line.

Available May 24

Atlas (Netflix Series)

Jennifer Lopez looking disheveled as she pilots some big sci-fi contraption

From Netflix: A brilliant but misanthropic data analyst (Jennifer Lopez) with a deep distrust of AI finds it may be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

Butterfly in the Sky: The Story of Reading Rainbow

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (Netflix Family)

From Netflix: The Camp Cretaceous gang comes together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.

Mulligan part 2 (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Mulligan and his cabinet work together to keep what’s left of America afloat while battling cruise ships, power outages and their own incompetence.

My Oni Girl (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A shy teenage boy’s inability to say no is tested when a headstrong girl drags him on a mystical journey amid summer snow to find her missing mom.

Available May 28

Available may 29.

Bionic (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: In a dystopian future where robotic prosthetics redefine sports, two sisters compete in long jump — but their rivalry leads them down a sinister path.

Colors of Evil: Red (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A chilling murder at a Tri-City beach exposes a criminal underworld, testing the courage of a prosecutor and a grieving mother seeking answers.

Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult (Netflix Documentary)

From Netflix: A group of prominent TikTok dancers are trapped in a cult masquerading as a management company called 7M. Among them is Miranda Wilking, whose family is desperately trying to get their daughter out. As other dancers and former members escape and work to rebuild their lives, it isn’t until they come together to try and put a stop to the cycle of their abuser that the real healing begins. This three part documentary series from director Derek Doneen, Dirty Robber and WV Alternative exposes the diabolical tactics used by cult-like organizations to exert control over people as well as the lengths families will go to keep their loved ones safe.

Patrick Melrose

Available May 30

Eric (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A desperate father, alongside a tenacious cop, battles his own demons on the streets of 1980s New York as he searches for his missing nine-year-old son.

Geek Girl (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Awkward teen Harriet has always wanted to fit in. Until she gets scouted by a top London model agent and learns that some people are meant to stand out.

Available May 31

A Part of You (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: A teenager struggles to pick up the pieces of her shattered world in this emotional and bittersweet coming-of-age drama about those who are left behind.

Chola Chabuca

How to Ruin Love: The Proposal (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: Suspecting infidelity, love-cynic Zoleka follows her boyfriend to Cape Town, only to ruin her own surprise proposal. Now, she must win him back.

Raising Voices (Netflix Series)

From Netflix: When a 17-year-old reports a sexual assault at her high school, an investigation upends her life and tests her relationships.

Tòkunbọ̀ (Netflix Film)

From Netflix: Tokunbo, an ex-car smuggler, is on a dangerous mission to save his family by delivering a government official’s daughter to her captors.

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When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her. When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her. When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

Josh Margolin
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Fred Hechinger
Richard Roundtree
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76 Metascore

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