While Top Gun: Maverick didn’t make the most of all of its new stars, one supporting character’s perfect story was already set up by the 2022 sequel’s plot. Top Gun: Maverick introduced a slew of new characters to the franchise, but not all of them got as much screen time as viewers might have hoped. In one particularly unfortunate instance, The Good Place star Manny Jacinto was announced as a cast member in the sequel only for his role to be reduced to a momentary cameo with no dialogue. However, even characters who gained bigger roles in the movie still sometimes missed out on a subplot of their own.
Although the still unconfirmed Top Gun 3 might redress this imbalance, Top Gun: Maverick’s story also centered on the original movie’s lead. Tom Cruise’s eponymous antihero was at the core of the sequel’s plot and, while Miles Teller’s Rooster was pivotal to his character arc, it was still unmistakably Maverick’s movie. As a result, supporting stars like Glen Powell’s Hangman and Jon Hamm’s Cyclone only got a few moments to chew the scenery, while fan favorites like Monica Barbaro’s Phoenix and Lewis Pullman’s B.O.B got even less screen time. Fortunately, Top Gun: Maverick did manage to set one of these characters up for future success in their brief appearance.
Phoenix’s Top Gun: Maverick Role Proved Top Gun 3 Needs Her
Barbaro’s Phoenix has inevitably earned a bigger role in Top Gun 3, as not only was she a great addition to the lineup, but her story let the franchise tackle the Navy’s sexism without this becoming the movie’s main focus. Barbaro herself told The Hollywood Reporter that her role in the sequel allowed Top Gun: Maverick to address workplace sexism, saying, “There’s no way that sort of [sexism] doesn’t still exist in little moments here and there.” Much like how Top Gun: Maverick’s ending set up Cyclone’s perfect redemption, this plot allows Top Gun 3 to delve deeper into Phoenix’s struggles.
The Top Gun movies have offered a largely uncritical depiction of the Navy, with Maverick’s innate hatred of authority providing most of their conflict. However, as Barbaro’s comments hinted, there are still structural issues with misogyny in the institution. For CNN, Stephanie Flores wrote about her experience of sexism in the Navy and called for more equitable treatment for women recruits, proving that Top Gun 3 could succeed by integrating this real-life issue into its storyline. Historically, the Top Gun movies have shied away from talking about real-life geopolitical battles since these storylines tend to age poorly, but Top Gun 3 could avoid this by centering on Phoenix’s workplace experience.
Top Gun 3 Should Avoid A Major Pitfall With Phoenix
While Top Gun 3 might not arrive for some time, this is not the only problem that could make the sequel’s Phoenix comeback tough. Per her actor, “One of my favorite things about Phoenix is that she’s not a love interest.” Turning Phoenix into Rooster’s love interest could limit her potential as an independent heroine, but keeping their relationship platonic could make it harder for Top Gun 3 to justify a more central role for her without a deeper link to the protagonists’ backstories. Viewers will want to see more from Maverick and Rooster, so Top Gun: Maverick’s sequel must prioritize finding a way for Phoenix to get the screen time she deserves without betraying her original role.
Top Gun: Maverick
- Release Date
- May 27, 2022
- Director
- Joseph Kosinski
- Cast
- Jennifer Connelly , Jake Picking , Raymond Lee , Tom Cruise , Lewis Pullman , Monica Barbaro , Miles Teller , Danny Ramirez , Val Kilmer , Manny Jacinto , Ed Harris , Glen Powell , Jon Hamm
- Franchise
- Top Gun
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, CNN
