'Top Gun: Maverick' Returns for One Last Flight in Theaters

If you passed on "Top Gun: Maverick" during its summer-long theatrical run, Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures are giving you one last chance to see the movie the way it was meant to be seen.

The most successful military movie of all time returns to theaters on Dec. 2, 2022, for a two-week engagement that ends Dec. 15. Just how successful were the continuing adventures of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell? The film grossed more than $716 million domestically and over $770 million internationally for a global cumulative total of over $1.48B.

Even if you rented or bought the movie on Digital, 4K UHD, Blu-ray or DVD and watched it on a fancy home theater setup, you're not really getting the full impact of action scenes that feature the most cutting-edge aerial cinematography, incredible sound effects and a fantastic audio mix. If you watched "TGM" on your phone, shame on you.

"Top Gun: Maverick" is sure to be a regular feature of one-off event screenings for decades to come, but you never know when those kinds of screenings are going to happen and they're usually one night only.

The team behind "Maverick" aimed to film the actors in the air and capture the real physical effects of pulling Gs in a jet, and they succeeded in creating a moviegoing experience that's sure to change how audiences think about computed-generated effects. There were moments in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" that looked a bit cheesy, and it's likely that those moments wouldn't have been noticed back in the spring before "Top Gun" redefined what was possible to show in a movie.

Related: How Korean War Movie 'Devotion' Used the Same Filming Techniques as 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Glen Powell, the actor who played Hangman in "Maverick," is currently starring in "Devotion," a movie about the friendship between Korean War Navy aviators Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner. Since both Powell and flight coordinator Kevin LaRosa worked on the "Top Gun" sequel, they knew the standards were going to change and they applied many of those breakthrough techniques as they made "Devotion."

To sum up: "Top Gun: Maverick" is the rare movie that needs to be seen in a theater, preferably one with the best possible projection and audio. If you missed it before or just want to see it again, then now's the time to act.

If you decide you've had enough "Maverick" for one year or maybe you just want to add to the experience after you’ve seen it again, then check out "Devotion." It's a real-life story that not enough people know, and the aerial scenes are a great complement to what you saw in "Top Gun: Maverick."

Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment

Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to the Military.com newsletter to have military news, updates and resources delivered straight to your inbox.