One of the highest-grossing films of all time, the hugely popular 2022 Top Gun: Maverick, is coming to Sky and its streaming service NOW next week, where subscribers will be able to watch it at no extra cost.
The sequel to 1986’s Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, was first released to digital streaming stores in the UK, for buying or renting, back in August – 91 days after its theatrical release on our side of the pond.
Then on December 22, 2022, Top Gun: Maverick was made available in the UK on Paramount+, the American streaming service that launched here last year.
And now – on February 5, 2023 – Top Gun: Maverick is coming to Sky and NOW’s Sky Cinema members.
It’s interesting to note that Sky Cinema subscribers, who also have Sky Q, Sky Glass or the new Sky Stream box, can get Paramount+ for free.
Therefore those customers already had access to Top Gun: Maverick (since December).
However, the news that the film is coming to Sky’s “native” cinema channels is important for a few reasons:
1. NOW subscribers (Sky’s streaming service) don’t get Paramount+ for free, so they couldn’t watch the film (at no extra cost) until now.
2. Customers who get Sky Cinema via 3rd party subscriptions – such as those on Virgin Media’s TV – also don’t get Paramount+ for free.
3. While we don’t have final confirmation yet, there’s a good chance Top Gun: Maverick will be available in 4K / HDR on Sky Cinema (if you have the right add-on/subscription).
And since Paramount+ in the UK only supports Full HD (1080p), Sky subscribers will now be able to watch the film at a higher video quality (NOW, however, doesn’t support 4K at all).
Top Gun: Maverick, directed by Joseph Kosinski, was a massive success for Paramount this year, earning more than $1.3 billion at the global box office, and becoming one of the top 10 earners of all time in the US.
The film is also nominated for six Oscars this year, including for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
In addition to Cruise, the film also stars Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm, with Val Kilmer reprising his role from the original film.
After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.
Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, as he comes face to face with Lt. Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his former wingman “Goose”.
Bitter rivalries ignite as the pilots prepare for a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.
How To Watch Top Gun: Maverick On Sky And NOW
Top Gun: Maverick will become available to watch on February 5, for Sky Cinema subscribers, as well as on NOW.
NOW (Formerly known as NOW TV- they changed their name) is Sky’s no-contract streaming service – a cheaper TV platform that gives you flexible packages (“memberships”) of content that can be watched on a variety of streaming devices.
The plans include the Entertainment Membership for TV shows, the Cinema Membership for movies, and the Sky Sports Membership. (See our full NOW review here).
If you want to watch anything in Full HD (1080p), you also have the buy the NOW Boost add-on, which currently costs £5/month, but will go up to £6/month soon.
For Top Gun: Maverick on NOW, you will need the Cinema Membership, which normally costs £9.99/month (Though you can sometimes find cheaper ways to sign up for NOW – see our guide).
Sky subscribers will be able to watch Top Gun: Maverick on their Sky Q (or older) set-top boxes, as well as on Sky’s streaming-based TV – Sky Glass, and on Sky’s streaming puck – Sky Stream.
To watch anything in Ultra HD (4K) / HDR, most customers will have to pay extra for Sky’s 4K add-on.