It will be great to see Top Gun: Maverick's cast together again in the next movie installment. As seen in the sequel, the ensemble has clear chemistry. While Cruise was its true protagonist, some of the franchise's new players were able to make themselves stand out, even with limited screen time. It would be beneficial for Top Gun 3 to maintain its core cast, especially the new breed of TOPGUN pilots in the budding franchise. That said, I want Cruise's character to finally focus on mentoring his true successor — something that Top Gun: Maverick didn't do.

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Tom Cruise & Glen Powell's Friendship Is Inspiring After Top Gun: Maverick

The Maverick And Hangman Actors Have Connected Off Set

In July 2024, Tom Cruise played "wingman" to Glen Powell at the Twisters premiere. Powell posted a photo of the castmates standing side by side on his social. Cruise had his arm around Powell, and they were both clutching Twisters-branded popcorn buckets in what appeared to be a moment of pure bliss. Seeing the actors continue their friendship after working together on Top Gun: Maverick is inspiring. The Instagram caption read: "When your wingman follows you into the storm…"

Days after the Top Gun actors appeared at the Twisters premiere, Glen Powell spoke about their friendship in an interview with E! News. The Hangman actor noted that Cruise had been a mentor and friend to him, saying, "It's been such a special part of my life.” However, their friendship didn't start just this year. They struck an easy dynamic while filming Top Gun: Maverick, and have become close friends since then. The real-life friendship between Cruise and Powell outside the Top Gun set is inspiring. It also better positions Hangman to be Maverick's Top Gun franchise successor.

Hangman Is Maverick's Real Top Gun Franchise Heir (& Top Gun 3 Needs To Establish That Properly)

Hangman Is Reminiscent Of Cruise's Maverick In The Original Top Gun

I believe Top Gun: Maverick shows that Hangman is Maverick's natural successor, not Rooster. Though Hangman plays an antihero character, antagonizing Rooster and his fellow TOPGUN graduates, he is the film's hero. Hangman swoops in at the last minute to save Maverick and Goose from an enemy fighter jet. With much tenacity, Jake "Hangman" Seresin leaves the Navy warship to defend his comrades, defying a direct order to stay. Powell sneaking up on the jet and shooting it down was the most memorable combat moment of Top Gun: Maverick and proves that Hangman is Maverick's natural successor.

The duality of Hangman completely emulates the Maverick character. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the pair barely interacted in Top Gun: Maverick. After holding him back at the Naval Academy, Maverick has had to focus on his responsibilities to Rooster. Fixated on their hang-ups about Goose's tragic death in Top Gun, Mav ultimately chooses Rooster as his wingman. While Maverick doesn't choose Hangman as his wingman, it makes perfect sense. Hangman is too much like Maverick to fly with him. Instead, Hangman is a maverick in his own right, operating independently in Top Gun: Maverick. As such, he is the franchise's rightful heir.

Hangman Needs A Bigger Role In Top Gun 3

The Jake Seresin Character Needs More Room To Grow

Ultimately, Top Gun: Maverick is everything it needs to be. Reviving Goose and Maverick's storyline through the Rooster character is an epic way to continue the story while embedding rich depth and nostalgia into the narrative – perfect for a sequel made 30 years later. Miles Teller is the natural choice for Goose's descendant (despite Glen Powell initially wanting the role) since, from certain angles, Teller is genuinely Nick Bradshaw's spitting image. It is great to see Rooster and Mav repair their unique bond, but the franchise should move on from this in Top Gun 3.

Powell stands out in Top Gun: Maverick despite his ing role. His relationship with Teller is reminiscent of the one between Maverick and Val Kilmer's Iceman. Hangman's confidence effortlessly translates into his flying, honing an intuitive quality needed in active combat. The way Hangman emulates Mav's instincts could not be more opposite to Maverick and Rooster's relationship, where Mav is more of a mentor. As a character who requires no guidance, Hangman is already Mav's successor. As the franchise builds its future, Powell's Hangman needs a more prominent role in Top Gun 3 to take over for Cruise.

Glen Powell is just more fun to watch in Top Gun: Maverick. Now that Powell is a prominent name following the film's success, Top Gun 3 should capitalize on his momentum. Centering Powell's Jake Seresin character would be an excellent way for the Top Gun franchise to build on Powell's success while securing a character capable of ing the franchise's future. When Powell didn't get the Rooster role, he helped to rewrite the Hangman character, and his success doing so proves Powell can continue to evolve the character as the Top Gun heir in Top Gun 3.

Source: E! News