Does Top Gun has post credit scene?

Top Gun: Maverickis the long-awaited sequel to Tom Cruise's 1986 classic Top Gun, but does it have a post-credits scene? Top Gun: Maverick is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who also collaborated with Cruise on the post-apocalyptic movie Oblivion. Newcomers to the Top Gun franchise have as much to enjoy as lifelong Maverick fans, as the film does a good job of balancing legacy moments with adrenaline-fueled sequences, and surprisingly emotional storytelling. Despite Top Gun 2's development hell and fears that it would not live up to the original, Tom Cruise delivers and continues his excellent form when it comes to action films. Using post-credits scenes to tease sequels has become commonplace since the original Top Gun's release — but does Top Gun: Maverick buy into this modern trend?

Top Gun: Maverick does not have a post-credits scene. It ends with a short montage of the main cast members, followed by Captain Mitchell flying his P-51 Mustang into the sunset. The lack of a post-credits scene isn't surprising — Top Gun is old school. Now in his '60s, Tom Cruise did all his own Top Gun: Maverick stunts, and the sequel stuck to the formula that made the original great - there really was no need for a post-credits scene which is a more modern trend. Instead, Top Gun: Maverick used its credits to dedicate the movie to Tony Scott, the director of the original Top Gun movie who passed away in 2012. Tony Scott went on to work with Top Gun stars Tom Cruise in Days Of Thunder and Val Kilmer in True Romance. Here's what, if anything, the lack of Top Gun: Maverick post-credits scene means for a potential sequel.

Maverick Has Created Demand For A Top Gun Franchise

Although it did not have a post-credits scene, speculation on a Top Gun: Maverick sequel has begun. Maverick did an excellent job of introducing new young characters, including Miles Teller's Rooster, who would be ready to carry forward the Top Gun legacy. Nothing has been announced by Paramount Pictures in the way of a third installment of the franchise, but given Top Gun: Maverick's overwhelmingly positive reviews, it wouldn't be a surprise if there was another sequel.

With its incredible airplane stunts, genuinely moving moments, and classic musical score, Top Gun: Maverick has quickly become one of the best-belated sequels in recent memory. The film handles the legacy elements of Top Gun well and smartly focuses on Tom Cruise's Captain Mitchell, where other long-lived franchises, like Star Wars, have been criticized for not giving its established characters enough screen time. Tom Cruise is set to release two new Mission: Impossible movies in 2023 and 2024, which will look to emulate the success of Top Gun: Maverick by breathing fresh air into a beloved franchise.

Does No Post-Credits Scene Mean No Top Gun 3?

Top Gun: Maverick nixing the post-credits scene trend doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be a Top Gun 3 — although, currently, there are no plans to make the already-demanded sequel to Top Gun 2. Mid and post-credits scenes today are typically utilized to set up upcoming connected projects. With no planned sequel to Top Gun: Maverick there isn't a follow-on story to set up yet, so there's no narrative reason for a post-credits scene. While there's no doubt the idea of a Top Gun franchise was floated around the Paramount offices from the moment a sequel to the 1986 original was greenlit, the studio went into Maverick without banking on franchise potential — opting instead simply to make and release a really solid movie.

As for using a post-credits scene to build up anticipation of future movies, it hasn't been necessary to drum up hype for a Top Gun 3. Top Gun: Maverick's box office record-shattering $1.4 billion earnings have done a pretty good job of proving the financial viability of a franchise, despite the 36-year gap between the first two films. Indeed, even though there haven't been any updates on Top Gun 3, and filming and training actors to man jet fighter cockpits tend to take time, viewers likely won't need to wait as long before a sequel to the phenomenally successful Top Gun: Maverick gets the green light.

Next: How Much Did Top Gun: Maverick Cost To Make (& What Box Office It Needs)