The 1986 blockbuster sequel, in which Tom Cruise reprises his iconic role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, according to Paramount.
Maverick is the first film in Cruise’s more than 40-year career to reach the billion-dollar milestone, as well as the second-highest-grossing film in Paramount’s long history in terms of internal numbers, behind only 1997’s Titanic.
“It’s rare to get the kind of alchemy that makes a real film about an event, and we’ve been absolutely blown away by the global response,” said Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures.
Maverick received huge buzz, and audiences — especially ticket buyers over the age of 35 — gravitated toward the film. This is notable because this demographic has been somewhat reluctant to return to theaters since the start of the pandemic.
“It was the perfect film at the perfect time because it featured one of the last Hollywood movie stars, a film that delighted all audiences around the world,” he added.
As of now, Maverick’s share is over $520 million domestically and over $468 million overseas. It is the 50th film in history to gross over $1 billion worldwide, excluding inflation.
Over the weekend, The Maverick ranked second at the national box office on its fifth weekend, grossing $29.6 million. No. 1 was the musical biopic Elvis, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, which sold for $31.1 million in North America.