'Top Gun: Maverick' pushed back to December 2020
I'm going to need a beer to put these flames out.
Paramount and Skydance couldn’t hold out any longer. The once early summer hopeful has officially vacated June in favor of a Holiday theatrical release on December 23. That’s two whole days before Jesus Christ's (unofficial) birthday and one helluva excuse to avoid whatever family obligations are coming your way.
Maverick’s theatrical shift comes just four weeks after Paramount moved the release up two days from June 26 to June 24. But with COVID-19 altering the theatrical windows for March, April, May, and June, studios have carefully mined 2020’s existing slate for opportunities that will potentially land them in the black.
Surprisingly, Warner Bros. live-action Tom & Jerry and The Croods 2 were the lone film’s occupying December 23. Enter Cruise’s long-awaited sequel which looks to ride the coattails of December’s trifecta extravaganza with Eddie Murphy’s Coming 2 America, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story all set for release on December 18. Five days later, Maverick takes flight for what could be two to three weeks as domestic box office champ. Of course, that all depends on the [eventual] destinations of remaining spring and summer holdouts - BLACK WIDOW, Candyman, and TENET.
Thirty-four years later, Tony Scott's high-octane original is 1986’s highest grossing film at $353,811,728 which, adjusted for inflation is roughly $823,812,500 today. Given the current state, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that 2020’s box office honors could go to Bad Boys For Life. But in terms of eclipsing $820M in 2021? I say sky is the limit for Maverick and co.
