Top Gun: The Next Generation Docuseries Announced by National Geographic

Top Gun will be the focus of a new documentary series airing on National Geographic. Top Gun: Maverick revitalized the movie franchise, thanks in large part to Tom Cruise's return as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. The film was the winner of the 2022 summer, setting new records at its opening box office and even surpassing Avengers: Endgame domestically. This may be why National Geographic, along with Rex, are teaming up for the working title of Top Gun: The Next Generation. The documentary will follow students of one of the U.S. Navy's most demanding training and selection programs as they train to join the ranks of the elite fighter pilots.

"With so many millions of fans of the film around the world, I was immediately drawn to this series – these elite jet pilots are not only extremely accomplished and impressive, but all have very different stories to tell," said Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic. "With Nat Geo's exclusive unprecedented inside access, this series promises to be an exhilarating, visually jaw-dropping and fascinating journey into the intensely competitive world of elite flying."

"The intimate access we have gained to the characters and the emotional character-led story arcs that run through the series will paint a vivid, compelling narrative around the young men and women embarking on this highly stressful process," said Tayna Shaw, managing director, Zinc Television. "That narrative will elevate the series beyond the noise and spectacle of fighter jets to tell the tense, nuanced and poignant human stories behind the public-facing bravado. This is a unique project and we are thrilled to be bringing it to viewers."

What is National Geographic's Top Gun docuseries about?

The series follows a group of officers as they push their limits on the grueling Advanced Flight Training Program. For the first time ever, they will be embarking on some of the most challenging flight tests possible including landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. The elite nature of the course means that only a minority – the very best – will make it to the top to fly the world's most advanced jet – the F-35C Lightning II.

The emotional character-led stories will primarily be told through the perspective of a diverse range of Navy student pilots. This first-time access will allow the series to follow the prospective naval aviators every step of the way – in the air, in the classroom, off-base and at home – as we discover who's got what it takes to make it to the F-35C.

This observational documentary will have epic aerial sequences while intimate moments reveal the emotions of the young candidates and the immense pressure they face.

Will there be a Top Gun 3?

Of course, fans are wondering if there will be a third Top Gun movie in the future. You would think someone like producer Jerry Bruckheimer would have an idea of whether Top Gun 3 is even a possibility. Back at the beginning of the year, Bruckheimer spoke on those Top Gun 3 plans.

"You tell me, I have no idea," Bruckheimer told Variety. "I wish ... We'll see, you never know." When asked if he's spoken to Cruise about ideas for another film, the producer replied, "Not yet. He's in the middle of shooting Mission: Impossible. He's got a lot of difficult, very hard stunts he's doing, so it's not the time to take his attention away from what's important to him right now."