Tom Cruise sent a message of thanks to audience members after his film “Top Gun: Maverick” crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, making history as the first time any of his films have ever reached that milestone.
The 59-year-old actor took to Twitter Monday and posted a message of congratulations to all studios, exhibitors, and upcoming films along with a message to theatergoers who have ventured out following the pandemic to see the highly-anticipated sequel to the hit 1986 film “Top Gun,” despite COVID delaying the film’s release multiple times.
“To all the films in release, to all the studios, and to all the exhibitors: congratulations,” Cruise’s tweet to his 6.8 million followers read.
“To the audience: thank you for venturing out and allowing us to entertain you,” his message added. “See you at the movies.”
To all the films in release, to all the studios, and to all the exhibitors: congratulations. To the audience: thank you for venturing out and allowing us to entertain you.
See you at the movies.
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) June 27, 2022
Director Joseph Kosinski also noted the film’s milestone and shared that it’s “a testament to five years of collaboration with our incredible cast and crew, including the men and women of the US Navy,” the Hollywood Reporter noted.
“The enthusiasm from fans around the world has shown us there is no replacement for watching a movie in a packed theater,” Kosinski tweeted. “When I was 12, I sat in awe watching ‘Top Gun,’ a film that defined the theatrical experience for me.”
The movie not only surpassed the $1 billion mark globally on its fifth weekend out but is currently the highest-grossing film of 2022 to date, as The Daily Wire previously reported. It also marks the first time one of the legendary actor’s films has reached the billion-dollar mark, not adjusted for inflation. In 1986, “Top Gun” earned $357.8 million at the worldwide box office, unadjusted.
Up until “Maverick,” Cruise’s highest grossing film was “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” which scored $791 million in 2018, not adjusted for inflation.
In the sequel, Cruise’s character “Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him,” before he is called back to ‘Top Gun,’ according to IMDb.
Paramount shared that 16 percent of “Top Gun: Maverick” filmgoers have seen the film at least twice, with another 4 percent who have seen the movie four times or more in theaters, the outlet noted.
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