To everyone's surprise (except perhaps frontman Tom Cruise), Top Gun: Maverick blew up the global box office to become the biggest movie of the year (so far) and one of the most accomplished Hollywood sequels in recent memory.
Director Joseph Kosinski's action-packed tale of an aging flying ace won over critics and audiences alike (we gave the film five stars in our glowing review) and served as a timely reminder that Netflix and Marvel are not the only agenda in 2022.
It's no wonder Top Gun fans are eager to find out when they'll be able to enjoy Pete "Maverick" Mitchell's long-awaited return from the comfort of their own homes. Details about the film's release on streaming services are still scant, but we've rounded up everything we know so far below.
Let's start with what we know for sure, which is certainly not much at this point.
Right now, Top Gun: Maverick isn't available to stream anywhere in the world, mainly because the movie didn't hit theaters until May 27. It's likely to continue playing exclusively on the big screen until the end of July at the earliest, when its parent studio, Paramount, makes a call about physical and video-on-demand (VOD) release dates.
However, the post-theatrical release schedule for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the film's Paramount stablemate, provides a useful blueprint for when we can expect to enjoy the excitement of Top Gun: Maverick at home.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 became available to buy and rent on demand about three months after it hit theaters—if Top Gun: Maverick follows that pattern, we expect it to hit virtual stores on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, and a handful of lesser-known platforms between August and September. If it does, it's likely to cost around €7.99 / €4.49 to rent and €19.99 / €13.99 to buy.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in early August, about four months after its theatrical release, so again, Top Gun: Maverick could follow that pattern with a physical release sometime in September. and October.
Top Gun: Is Maverick Coming To Paramount Plus?
As for when Top Gun: Maverick hits streaming services, the jury is still out. The film will almost certainly make Paramount Plus its exclusive home, but there's no word yet on when it will be available to stream on the still-young platform.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 arrived at Paramount Plus the same day as its VOD release (that's three months after its theatrical debut, in line with the studio's other recent projects), but Top Gun: Maverick isn't expected to follow this pattern. given its stratospheric box office success.
As part of his bespoke movie deal, movie star Tom Cruise has the final say on when Top Gun: Maverick makes the jump to Paramount Plus, and reports suggest Paramount is pressuring him to agree to break 120's exclusivity. days of the window movie in an effort to capitalize on its popularity (ie, attract more Paramount Plus subscribers).
On the other hand, Cruise may be pushing to extend Top Gun: Maverick's theatrical release window in light of the film's excellent performance. He is, after all, a big believer in the cinematic experience, and it's hard to see him signing off on a move that would bring his beloved big-screen project to streaming services sooner than necessary.
So at this point, we just don't know when Top Gun: Maverick is coming to Paramount Plus. As mentioned, Paramount movies, for the most part, hit the streamer 120 days after their theatrical debut, but Top Gun: Maverick could come sooner, on time, later, or possibly not at all. We will share more details when we have them.
By the way, Paramount Plus is now available in more regions than ever before. The service recently launched in the UK, debuted in the US last year, and costs €9.99/€6.99 per month (or €4.99 per month for ad-supported viewing, if you're in the US).
For our money, however, Paramount Plus still can't compete with Netflix and Disney Plus, and studio execs hope Top Gun: Maverick changes that reality sooner rather than later.