Tom Cruise might have been the center of attention in Top Gun: Maverick, but Glen Powell also played a crucial part in the film’s success. Starring as the antagonist turned part of the team, Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin, Powell infuses the film with the spirit of the original Top Gun. Even though Rooster seems like the second lead, it’s Powell’s character who’s the closest equivalent to Cruise’s young Maverick from many years ago. Even though fans might not like the character at first, Hangman represents everything a young Top Gun is: talented, egoistic, unapologetic and tough.
Powell is set to return for Top Gun: Maverick’s sequel. However, one thing has made Powell’s return to the film a bit challenging. Since Top Gun: Maverick, Powell has become a mega-star, headlining box office hits like Anyone But You and Twisters. The star has three films on the release board this year alone and is already involved in several upcoming projects. He’s likely to be booked up by the time Top Gun 3 hits the production stage. In addition to Tom Cruise, Powell’s mega-star status poses another potential challenge to the film’s arrival at the theaters. Should anything go wrong, it’s possible Top Gun 3 might not happen after all.
Who Is Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin?
Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin is one of the top one percent of elite pilots selected to train for a secret mission. He’s sort of a legend of himself, but he’s also known as the antagonist in Top Gun: Maverick. Glen Powell was crucial to shaping the iconic character, Hangman. Without Powell’s portrayal, Hangman could have been a flat character. The actor’s performance adds a lot of tension to his relationships with Maverick and Rooster. Hangman is also not a classic bad guy, who holds all viewers’ resentment throughout the film. Hangman’s problem is in his attitude and pride, and once he drops them, the pilot immediately becomes someone honorable and trustworthy. That’s the magic of Powell’s character. While Rooster seems like the next Maverick, Hangman resembles the young Maverick the most.
It’s interesting that Powell initially was up for Miles Teller’s role, Rooster. While he lost the second lead role to Teller, the actor arguably gained something much better instead. Hangman was Powell’s breakout part. The actor was part of the formula that shaped the character. Hangman, as a character, is highly unlikable. In the bar scene, he teases other candidates and then Maverick when his credit card gets declined. Hangman also bullies him out of the bar. Of course, at that point, Hangman has no idea that Maverick is going to be their new instructor. The first day of training turns out to be very awkward for everyone involved. He is up against a challenge with Maverick. After losing the challenge, Hangman ends up doing 200 push-ups.
Throughout the film, Hangman is the one who’s trying to start a feud with everyone, but he also makes the film very interesting when he takes an interest in his instructor’s tense interactions with Rooster, which eventually leads to him discovering their secret relationship. Hangman plays a crucial part in driving the plot and transforming the team dynamics. Even though he’s not selected for the final mission, he gives Rooster his blessing to complete the mission with Maverick, reversing his bad guy status to being a team player. During the mission, Hangman launches to cover Maverick and Rooster when needed. He successfully shoots down the hostile aircraft, saving their lives. While Rooster and Hangman may not have seen eye to eye before, they became comrades through the mission.
Hangman is the person in the team who hides his true self under his attitude and ego, but at the same time, he carries the spirit of Top Gun — young, unapologetic and egoistic. At the same time, there’s a vulnerable side to him and a sense of responsibility as a soldier in the force, which Powell is able to channel into the character. It makes the final exchange between Hangman and Rooster genuine. The scene is the first time Hangman drops his pretense, where viewers get to see him under the new light. Given that Hangman is easily the most hated character in the film, the transition could have been painfully strange and out of character if anyone else were to play the character. Powell handles the scene with ease. Even compared to Miles Teller’s Rooster, Powell’s character stands out.
Glen Powell Has Become a Mega-Star Since Top Gun: Maverick
Since Top Gun: Maverick, Glen Powell has been busy, taking on several lead roles on the big screen. In 2023, he played the charming Ben in the hit rom-com Anyone But You opposite Sydney Sweeney’s Bea. The film is a fun run and a smash hit at the box office, securing itself as the highest-grossing romantic comedy since 2016. While the film received some mixed reviews among critics, it’s a must-watch among fans. Since its release, moviegoers have flooded TikTok with videos of themselves reenacting the film’s credit sequence.
Anyone But You was only the beginning for Powell. He also appears in a prominent role in 2024’s Twisters and Hit Man, securing himself as one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. His rise to stardom is unstoppable, and it doesn’t look like Powell is slowing down. Top Gun: Maverick is only the start for the mega-star. The versatile actor is able to bring his magical touch to every role he plays, making boring and flat characters full of charm and contrast. This ability makes him attractive to every studio out there that’s looking to level up its production. There’s a chance that the star will continue to have a full schedule on his hands even before Top Gun 3 enters the production stage.
How Will Powell’s Stardom Affect Top Gun 3?
2024 has been a busy year for Powell. He had three movies slated for release in the first half of 2024 alone. He played the lead roles in both Hit Man and Twisters. One would normally be a lot for an actor, but Powell has proven that he can do two. On top of that, he’s also a co-producer for The Blue Angel, which was released on May 17. With plenty of premieres, awards shows and press tours, the actor has been very active. However, that didn’t stop him from signing up for more projects. He is working with J.J. Abrams on the director’s next film project and is set to star in John Lee Handcock’s Monsanto, which is currently in development.
Powell is also involved in Edgar Wright’s remake of The Running Man, currently in development, making it the actor’s first foray into the horror and thriller genre. The filming for the Stephen King adaptation is scheduled to begin this fall. With no signs of slowing down, Powell will likely be booked by the time Top Gun 3 is in production, which makes many fans worry about the actor’s availability, given that Hangman is going to be in a similarly important role in the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick sequel. His stardom could directly affect the film’s production timeline. With more projects lined up, it’ll be harder to work with his schedule. On the other hand, recasting his role would drastically compromise the project, given how important Powell is in shaping Hangman.
Is Top Gun 3 Happening?
The success of Top Gun: Maverick led to interest in a potential sequel. It didn’t take long for Paramount to green-light a sequel. The film is currently in development. It’s no one other than Powell who recently gave fans an exciting update on the progress. It seems that the actor has already had his calendar marked for the filming dates of Top Gun 3. While speaking with Happy Sad Confused podcast, Powell revealed that he has “a date,” though he will “absolutely not” reveal more information about the upcoming sequel.
Production of the film is expected to begin in 2025, which pushes the release date to 2026. While the news is reassuring, Powell’s busy schedule along with Tom Cruise’s upcoming commitment to other projects might make any minor delay more permanent. The star currently has his calendar marked. But should anything change, Top Gun 3 could easily be in trouble trying to schedule both stars into the same production. Powell’s rise to stardom has undoubtedly made the stakes very high for the creative and production team.