Top Gun: Maverick Enters Oscar Race; What Are The Chances It Will Win?
It seems that the long-awaited sequel to the iconic 80's favorite, Top Gun, literally soared above and beyond viewers' expectations.
Top Gun: Maverick was released in cinemas in May this year and nostalgic audiences were on the edge of their seats as they witnessed competitive and ambitious young pilots take to the sky to train for a dangerous mission, taught by the legendary Tom Cruise or "Maverick" himself.
Top Gun: Maverick has been praised as a realistic and thrilling production that managed to find the perfect balance between action, comedy, and drama.
Apart from the excitement of seeing Tom Cruise take to the skies as he returned for one of his most memorable roles, audiences focused their attention on new characters like Miles Teller, an instant hit who played the son of Maverick's deceased best friend.
Top Gun: Maverick may have garnered positive reviews from fans, but the real question is: What are the chances of Top Gun's successor winning an Oscar?
With the 95th Academy Awards approaching, Top Gun: Maverick is said to be in the running for a nomination for Best Picture, according to multiple expert lists. This would possibly see Top Gun: Maverick up against releases like Avatar: The Way of Water, Emancipation, the Whale , and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The filmmakers have built on the legacy of the original Top Gun and pushed the franchise to new heights, tailoring it to a wider audience making it beyond just a commercial film, but one that could be appreciated by art-forward audiences and filmmakers too for its cinematography and authentic, diverse characters and themes.
Top Gun Maverick scored a staggering 96% on rotten tomatoes; the combination of nostalgia and original soundtracks along with the promise of a movie only to be enjoyed on the big screen had adult audiences pouring into cinemas, something that hadn't been witnessed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was said to have moved audience members to tears, and the song Hold my Hand by Lady Gaga became a summer anthem following the release of the film.
The film had a hugely positive impact on the film industry as a whole and has breathed life back into cinema by giving people a reason to watch something on the big screen.
The Academy votes on various criteria for films including the quality of the film, the statement being made by the film, and the overall impact of the film. When it comes to Top Gun: Maverick, it seems an Oscar win would be credited to the film's overwhelming success.