“Saved Hollywood’s bacon,” Steven Spielberg told Tom Cruise of the actor’s 2021 action sequel that stuck to an exclusive theatrical rollout. The film went on to gross over $1.4 billion worldwide, score six Oscar nominations with a win for Best Sound, and is now streaming on Paramount+.
Steven Spielberg didn’t mince words when he credited a single blockbuster with luring crowds back to the big screen, calling it the film that “saved Hollywood’s bacon.” At the heart of his praise is Top Gun: Maverick, a runaway hit that soared past 1.4 billion dollars worldwide and turned cautious moviegoing into a communal rush again. Tom Cruise’s insistence on a theatrical window, paired with Joseph Kosinski’s high-octane direction, helped transform a legacy sequel into a post-pandemic milestone. With six Oscar nominations and a win for Best Sound, its triumph wasn’t just at the box office but in the culture at large.
Spielberg credits ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ with saving theaters
When the seats still felt empty and the box office looked shaky, one movie rewired the conversation. Steven Spielberg publicly told Tom Cruise that Top Gun: Maverick “saved” Hollywood’s bacon, a nod to a film that drew crowds back to the ritual of showtimes and shared gasps. The sentiment may sound grand, yet the result was undeniable: a surge of confidence, ticket stubs in hand, lights down, engines up.
Box office triumph and critical acclaim
Opened in the United States on May 27, 2022, the film rocketed to more than $1.4 billion worldwide. It became the year’s box office champ and a sturdy awards player: 6 Oscar nominations and a win for Best Sound. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and led by Tom Cruise, it reaffirmed that spectacle plays differently on a towering screen. Cruise insisted on an exclusive theatrical window, and audiences responded with repeat viewings.
The story and the cast that pulled it off
Back in the cockpit, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell trains a handpicked squad for a near-impossible strike, pushing precision and nerve to the edge. Emotional gravity kicks in when he mentors Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, son of his late wingman, Goose. Performances land clean and sharp: Miles Teller finds Rooster’s guarded pulse, Jennifer Connelly brings grounded warmth, while Jon Hamm and Glenn Powell sharpen the military stakes. The result feels tactile, from cockpit close-ups to sonic thunder.
Where can you watch it?
If you missed the big-screen roar, you can now stream Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+. The premium mix still shines at home, but the movie’s legacy rests on what it proved in theaters: star power, craft, and timing can rekindle habits. According to this view, Maverick didn’t just hit targets on-screen. It reminded American moviegoers why a dark auditorium still matters.
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