Top Gun: Maverick Proves Legacy Sequels Can Succeed With The Right Approach

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The summer’s biggest hit on Paramount+ wasn’t just a thrilling action film; it showed that sequels, often seen as a Hollywood weakness, can actually be a major advantage when executed well. Sequels have been a staple of movies and TV for decades.

We often joke that all ideas have been done before – that everything is just a remake or continuation of something else. But let’s be real – the 1980s and 90s were packed with genuinely exciting movies like Aliens, Beverly Hills Cop II, Friday the 13th Part VIII, Jaws 3, Rocky IV, Mad Max 2, and countless others.

Let’s be honest, these days it feels like most sequels aren’t made because filmmakers have a good story to tell. It seems like studios are just hoping we’ll fondly remember the original and not notice the new one isn’t nearly as good. This is especially true with those ‘legacy sequels’ – the ones that bring back characters from older films, often relying on nostalgia more than actual substance.

These belated sequels often appear many years after the original films, sometimes with and sometimes without the original stars. Many, like The Rise of Skywalker, Exorcist Believer, Zoolander 2, and Matrix: Resurrections, end up simply retreading old ground instead of progressing the story, and this usually doesn’t work out well.

However, the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick proved there’s a different approach to making sequels. While a follow-up to the 1986 classic Top Gun wasn’t necessarily highly anticipated, and initial reactions mirrored common concerns about legacy sequels – namely, that it would simply rehash the original for profit – the film ultimately defied those expectations.

Surprisingly, Top Gun: Maverick became a massive success, earning $1.5 billion worldwide (according to BoxOfficeMojo) and receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews – a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was also nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and won the award for Best Sound. This proves that sequels revisiting older stories can be incredibly popular if done well.

Top Gun: Maverick Proved That Legacy Sequels Can Work If Done Right

Top Gun: Maverick succeeds as a continuation of the original by acknowledging and honoring what fans enjoyed about the first film, while still forging its own new path. What makes it so good is that it takes the familiar Top Gun world and does something unexpected with it.

The first movie starred Tom Cruise as the daring pilot Pete “Maverick.” We loved him as a bit of a rebel who followed his own rules, but ultimately discovered the importance of teamwork. The new movie brings back Tom Cruise as the same confident and skilled pilot.

Now, Maverick is the instructor, and his new class of pilots are incredibly overconfident. This shift in roles creates a fresh and engaging story while still allowing Maverick to continue developing as a character, just like in the first film. The sequel also maintains the exciting action, intense energy, and polished presentation that made the original so memorable.

Despite paying homage to the first film, Maverick offers these nods subtly, as enjoyable references rather than obvious attempts to remind you of past moments. For example, beach volleyball has been swapped for beach football, and instead of the song “Lost that Lovin’ Feelin'”, you’ll hear “Great Balls of Fire”.

Familiar characters reappear, but the film doesn’t simply rely on nostalgia. It’s particularly touching to see Val Kilmer reprise his role as Iceman, portraying a more mature and peaceful version of the character, and it serves as a poignant farewell to the actor, who sadly passed away shortly after the film’s release.

The reason Top Gun: Maverick works better than many other sequels that revisit older stories is simple: it has its own story to tell. It just happens to be set within the world of the original Top Gun. Unlike those other sequels, it doesn’t just rely on nostalgia, saying, “Remember this? Look at it again!”

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2026-04-17 20:39