Top Gun: Maverick’s stellar Memorial Day weekend threw some pretty wild numbers, as Tom Cruise’s latest blockbuster has already surpassed the $300 million mark worldwide. However, it’s now become clear which demographic is flocking to movie theaters to go see Maverick.
The originalTop Gunfilm 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 asRocky,Terminator, andBlade Runner. That, coupled with a few nostalgia tricks, makeTop Gun: Maverickan absolutely great filmbut 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 forTop 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, theTop Gunsequel 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 theTop Gunsequel is the biggest non-Marvel earner in the pandemic era,even withoutMaverickpremiering in China.
Top Gun: Maverick’spopularity 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 hisco-star Miles Teller, who seems like the perfect casting decision to play Anthony Edwards' son, Rooster.
The news ofTop Gun: Maverick’s success will certainly bode well for similarly hyped 2022 blockbusterssuch asJurassic World Dominion,Lightyear,Elvis,Bullet Train,Avatarand nearly every other non-superhero movie coming out that’s not quite up to competing withThor: Love and Thunder.
