'Top Gun' Turns 40 - and It's Still One of the Most Iconic Action Movies Ever
40 years have passed since Top Gun was released in theaters, becoming a cultural phenomenon. The film is full of quippy one-liners like "the need for speed" and "negative, Ghost Rider" that found their way into everyday conversations. Released on May 16, 1986, Top Gun, directed by Tony Scott, became one of the most well-known action movies of all time, earning a spot in the Library of Congress for its cultural and historical impact.
Tom Cruise had already made a name for himself after starring in Risky Business, but it was Top Gun that cemented his stardom. Cruise was cast as Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick, a talented but cocky and reckless pilot. When his best friend, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, dies in an accident, Maverick has to overcome his guilt and eventually graduates and then helps the other pilots in combat again.
The original Top Gun was full of big-name actors, even if some hadn't found fame quite at that point. Meg Ryan, who played Carole, is now basically synonymous with 90s romcoms. Edwards found success as Mark Greene on the hit 15-season television show E.R. Val Kilmer went on to be leading men in multiple movies. Cruise of course, continued to star in other action films where he famously does his own stunts.
In fact, Top Gun was such a lasting phenomenon that a sequel was developed decades later, and it too became a blockbuster hit. Top Gun: Maverick sees Cruise reprise his role as Mitchell, dealing with Goose's death once again, now that he has to teach Goose's son, Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, played by Miles Teller. Top Gun: Maverick has even more stars than its predecessor. Teller, Glen Powell, and Lewis Pullman are just a couple of the big names playing the next generation of Naval pilots in the sequel.
Top Gun: Maverick was initially set to be directed by Scott again, but when he passed in 2012, the honor was passed to Joseph Kosinski. Although there were many setbacks and delays beyond the cast and crew's control, Top Gun: Maverick was released in theaters in 2022. Top Gun: Maverick was met with critical acclaim and became Cruise's highest-grossing movie all time.
Top Gun's legacy will continue, as a third movie was announced a month before the film's 40th anniversary. Not much is known about this new movie, but many of the actors have already signed on.
Even four decades later, Top Gun still remains part of the cultural zeitgeist. The movie spawned such a dedicated fanbase that "Top Gun Day" was created to honor the film. Unfortunately, due to a typo, the holiday is May 13th (three days off from its actual anniversary), but fans have been celebrating on that day anyway. With a third film in the works, Top Gun will remain a beloved action film for more generations for years to come.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM.