Top Gun: Maverick has become the seventh biggest movie ever in the US and Canada, having surpassed box-office records set by James Cameron's Titanic. Now, it looks set to beat out two Marvel movies next.
The long-awaited sequel, which sees Tom Cruise reprise the role as legendary pilot Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, was released domestically on May 27 – and has since earned $662m (£557m) in ticket sales. According to Variety, Avengers: Infinity War made $678m (£560m) while Black Panther, which currently ranks as the fifth highest-grossing US release, racked up $700m (£578m). In short, Top Gun 2 is gaining on them!
In the action flick, Maverick finds himself in a position he's actively tried to avoid for his entire Navy career – leading a new team of aspiring aviators. Danny Ramirez, Jon Hamm, Manny Jacinto, Monica Barbaro, Ed Harris, Glen Powell, and Lewis Pullman also star, while Val Kilmer is back as Maverick's old nemesis, Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky.
- Despite one of the MCU's lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores, Captain America: Brave New World has a massive opening weekend, already making back its reported production budget
- Tom Cruise says he had to "train himself to breathe" for intense Mission: Impossible 8 stunts: "There were times I would pass out physically"
Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly round out the supporting cast as Bradley Bradshaw, the son of Carole and Maverick's late best friend Goose, and Penny Benjamin, "the Admiral's daughter" referred to in the first film who now owns a bar near the flight school Maverick teaches at.
With fewer and fewer screenings in cinemas, the Joseph Kosinski-directed follow-up will have to go some way to besting the records set by Avatar, which made $760m (£627m), and Spider-Man: No Way Home ($804m/£664m). But it's not out of the question. As it stands, Avengers: Endgame is the second most successful movie in the US, with $853m (£704m) takings, and at the top of the list is Star Wars: The Force Awakens at $936m (£773m).
Top Gun: Maverick is in cinemas now. If you've already seen it, and don't yet fancy a rewatch, then check out our roundup of the best action movies for some viewing inspiration.
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