The original Top Gun film came out in 1986, making Lieutenant Pete Mitchell an absolute action icon for the population base that nowadays is mostly made up of Generation X and Millennials, who also grew up with popular movie franchises such as Rocky, Terminator, and Blade Runner. That, coupled with a few nostalgia tricks, make Top Gun: Maverick an absolutely great film but one still likely to be enjoyed to a greater capacity by those who were familiar with the character’s backstory.

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So, who’s actually been shelling out most of the box office revenue for Top Gun: Maverick? As reported by Variety, at least 55% of ticket buyers in the United States were over the age of 35, a number that’s seen as very optimistic for future films, given that it was this demographic that had remained more hesitant to go back to theaters after the pandemic struck. In other numbers, the Top Gun sequel secured $21 million in the US just from IMAX screenings, out of the $153 million overall tallies from American cinemas.

Originally scheduled for release in the summer of 2020, Cruise himself was adamant in his position that the movie should only come out once movie theaters were back to normal. The actor remains one of the few Hollywood stars who hasn’t dipped their toes in streaming content. That gamble definitely paid off, as the Top Gun sequel is the biggest non-Marvel earner in the pandemic era, even without Maverick premiering in China.

Top Gun: Maverick’s popularity extends to Flight Simulator and Ace Combat 7, two of the video game industry’s top pilot-related experiences, both of which have released content tied to the new movie. Meanwhile, the movie also ratifies Cruise’s status as a top movie star, in addition to shining a light on his co-star Miles Teller, who seems like the perfect casting decision to play Anthony Edwards’ son, Rooster.

The news of Top Gun: Maverick’s success will certainly bode well for similarly hyped 2022 blockbusters such as Jurassic World Dominion, Lightyear, Elvis, Bullet Train, Avatar and nearly every other non-superhero movie coming out that’s not quite up to competing with Thor: Love and Thunder.

Top Gun: Maverick is currently available in theaters.

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Source: Variety