Tom Cruise’s ‘Top Gun 3’ Cast Shakeup! Only ‘Half of the Key Supporting Cast’ Will Be ‘Invited Back’

Tom Cruise is getting the band back together for Top Gun 3  – but according to a source, Ed Harris may be on the chopping block as franchise newcomers, such as Jon Hamm and Glenn Powell, cozy up to the action star.

“Broadly, I’d say only about half of the key supporting cast of [Top Gun] Maverick will be invited back for Top Gun 3, and that’s how Tom likes it,” a source exclusively tells the National Enquirer.

“Keeping the ensemble fresh is the stated reason for that, but everybody knows Ed Harris did not have a great time making Maverick,” adds the source.

However, Hamm and Powell “absolutely loved making” the sequel and “forged very positive relationships” with the Mission: Impossible actor off-camera, according to the source.

“These guys look up to Tom like he’s their football coach,” the source continues. “Miles Teller is in that camp too, but he has not yet made a deal to return yet and he always has a packed schedule of work.”

Although the classic movie franchise has been built on strong ensemble casts, the source says that the “reality” of the situation is that the third movie is being built “as a vehicle for Tom and Tom alone.”

“Everybody else has to be comfortable sitting in the back seat, which is exactly how Tom likes it!” the source concludes.

In April, Jennifer Connelly told Entertainment Tonight that she was planning on returning for the the sequel if she was asked.

“I’ll be there,” she said at the time. “I’m ready.”

More than 30 years after the premiere of the original Top Gun film, Top Gun: Maverick hit the big screen in May 2022. Top Gun 3 has yet to start filming, but Maverick writer and co-producer Christopher McQuarrie assured fans that the story was “already in the bag” on a May 26 installment of the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

McQuarrie admitted he initially thought it might have been a tougher project to figure out, but after an intriguing suggestion by fellow writer Ehren Kruger, they had a discussion and “the framework” fell into place for the third film.

The producer also explained he was more concerned with finding that perfect “emotional balance” between the characters in moments of conflict.

“Tom and I inherently understood that balance,” he added.

Top Gun 3 is currently in the early stages of production. It is unclear when the action flick will be released.