Glen Powell’s journey through the Top Gun franchise is one of the most compelling comeback stories in modern Hollywood. From a heartbreaking audition rejection to becoming one of the most talked-about names attached to Top Gun 3, Powell’s relationship with the franchise has helped transform him from a promising supporting actor into a full-blown A-list star. Here’s everything you need to know about Glen Powell and Top Gun — including the very latest updates on the third film confirmed in 2026.
Who Is Glen Powell? A Quick Background
Glen Thomas Powell Jr. was born on October 21, 1988, in Austin, Texas. He began his Hollywood career with small guest roles on television and minor parts in films like The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and The Expendables 3 (2014). His breakthrough came with the Fox comedy-horror series Scream Queens (2015–2016), where he played the outrageously cocky Chad Radwell. He also earned critical praise for portraying astronaut John Glenn in the Academy Award-nominated Hidden Figures (2016).
But it was one franchise — Top Gun — that would ultimately change everything for him.
Glen Powell in Top Gun: Maverick — The Role of Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin
The Audition That Almost Didn’t Happen
Powell’s path to Top Gun: Maverick (2022) is a story of rejection, resilience, and a well-timed viral tweet. He originally auditioned for the role of Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw — the son of Goose from the original 1986 film. Powell threw himself into the process, even traveling to the Coronado North Island military base to live among aviators for a couple of weeks to prepare.
When the call came in July 2018 informing him that the role had gone to Miles Teller instead, Powell was devastated. As he told The Hollywood Reporter, “This one I just took it very personally and was just plain sad.” He even posted a self-deprecating joke on social media about taking down all the Tom Cruise posters in his bedroom — a tweet that, ironically, may have caught the attention of the filmmakers and shown them his personality and charm.
A week after the rejection, Tom Cruise himself called Powell — something that Powell described as extraordinary, noting that movie stars rarely take the time to personally console those who don’t land roles. After several conversations with Cruise, director Joseph Kosinski, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Powell agreed to take on the role of Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin.
Why He Almost Turned Down Hangman
Even after being offered the part, Powell had serious reservations. He described the original version of Hangman to GQ as little more than a “Navy Draco Malfoy” — a character who existed simply to add conflict to Rooster’s arc without any real depth or payoff. Powell initially considered walking away entirely. However, the creative team encouraged him to help reshape the character as he saw fit, turning Hangman into a multi-dimensional figure who mirrors the young Maverick’s own relentless drive for excellence — and ultimately steps up to save the day when it counts most.
Hangman’s Role in Top Gun: Maverick
In Top Gun: Maverick, Hangman is introduced as an elite TOPGUN graduate — confident, competitive, and more than willing to hang his fellow pilots out to dry if it means glory for himself. His name literally comes from his reputation for abandoning teammates in the heat of battle. Yet the film complicates this early villain framing; by the climax, it is Hangman who swoops in at the critical moment to rescue Maverick and Rooster from near-certain death, cementing his arc from antagonist to reluctant hero.
The film was a massive commercial and critical triumph, grossing approximately $1.5 billion worldwide and becoming the biggest box office hit of 2022 — and the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise’s entire career.
How Top Gun: Maverick Made Glen Powell a Star
Career Explosion Post-Maverick
The success of Top Gun: Maverick opened every door in Hollywood for Powell. In 2023, he starred in the rom-com Anyone But You opposite Sydney Sweeney, which became a surprise box office hit that outperformed expectations well into early 2024. That same year, Hit Man — a film he co-wrote with director Richard Linklater — earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. In 2024, he headlined the blockbuster disaster sequel Twisters, which further cemented his status as a reliable box office draw.
In 2025, he starred in both the Hulu series Chad Powers and The Running Man, Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the Stephen King dystopian novel. The Running Man had a softer theatrical run initially but became a major streaming success on Paramount+, with Powell simultaneously dominating the platform alongside the enduring popularity of Top Gun: Maverick itself.
As of 2026, Powell has How to Make a Killing completed and in post-production, along with The Great Beyond and an untitled project with director Judd Apatow in pre-production.
Streaming Dominance on Paramount+
Top Gun: Maverick continues to be one of Paramount+’s most enduring streaming performers years after its theatrical release, logging hundreds of days across the platform’s global Top 10 charts. Together with The Running Man, Powell’s presence on the platform in 2026 has been described as total streaming dominance — a remarkable feat for any actor to pull off simultaneously with two very different titles.
Top Gun 3: What We Know So Far (2026 Update)
Official Confirmation at CinemaCon 2026
The biggest Top Gun news of 2026 dropped at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 16, 2026. Paramount officially confirmed that Top Gun 3 is in development, with Tom Cruise returning as Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and Jerry Bruckheimer back as producer. Paramount film co-head Josh Greenstein made the announcement simply and directly: Top Gun 3 is officially in development with a script well underway, reuniting Cruise and Bruckheimer.
Ehren Kruger, who co-wrote Top Gun: Maverick, is working on the script, which is described as progressing well.
Is Glen Powell Returning as Hangman?
This is the question every Top Gun fan is asking — and the signs are overwhelmingly positive. Powell has publicly confirmed he will return as Hangman in Top Gun 3. Speaking to Variety, he confirmed his involvement and quipped that he was sure there would be “a jet waiting” for him. He has also revealed that he has had ongoing communication with Cruise, Kosinski, and Bruckheimer as the project takes shape.
Reports indicate that Miles Teller is also expected to reprise his role as Rooster. Jennifer Connelly (as Penny Benjamin), Jon Hamm (as Cyclone), and Monica Barbaro (as Phoenix) all remain unconfirmed as of June 2026.
The Val Kilmer Question
One of the most emotionally significant aspects of Top Gun: Maverick was the return of Val Kilmer as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky — his final film role before his death in 2025. The quiet, deeply moving scene between Maverick and Iceman was widely considered one of the most powerful moments in the entire film. Top Gun 3 will need to address Iceman’s absence in a meaningful way, and how it does so will be one of the most important creative decisions the production makes.
What We Still Don’t Know
As of June 2026, no director has been officially attached, no release date has been announced, and the plot remains entirely under wraps. The film is confirmed to be in active development with a script in progress — but the full picture of Top Gun 3 has yet to come into focus.
Glen Powell and the Top Gun Cast: Still Close
One of the enduring stories from the Top Gun: Maverick era is the genuine camaraderie that developed among the cast. Powell has spoken warmly about his fellow pilots, noting in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine that the group text chat from the 2022 film is still active and thriving. Miles Teller’s wife Keleigh Teller captured a Top Gun cast reunion dance-off set to “Danger Zone” that went viral over New Year’s 2026, showing the cast’s bond is as strong as ever.
FAQ: Glen Powell and Top Gun
Q: What character does Glen Powell play in Top Gun: Maverick? Glen Powell plays Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin, an elite TOPGUN graduate and rival to Miles Teller’s Rooster who ultimately saves the day in the film’s climactic sequence.
Q: Did Glen Powell originally audition for a different role in Top Gun: Maverick? Yes. Powell originally auditioned for the role of Rooster, which went to Miles Teller. He was later convinced by Tom Cruise to take on the role of Hangman after several personal phone calls.
Q: Is Glen Powell in Top Gun 3? Yes. Glen Powell has confirmed he will return as Hangman in Top Gun 3, which was officially announced by Paramount at CinemaCon on April 16, 2026.
Q: How much did Top Gun: Maverick make at the box office? Top Gun: Maverick grossed approximately $1.5 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2022 and the biggest box office success of Tom Cruise’s career.
Q: Will Tom Cruise be in Top Gun 3? Yes. Tom Cruise’s return as Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was part of the official CinemaCon 2026 announcement confirming the third film is in development.
Q: When is Top Gun 3 coming out? No release date has been announced as of June 2026. The film is in active development with a script described as well underway.
Drop your thoughts in the comments — are you excited to see Hangman back in the cockpit for Top Gun 3, and what do you think his role will be this time around?