Top Gun: Maverick vs F1: Why Maverick Takes Pole Position

When it comes to legacy sequels, few have managed to surprise audiences quite like Top Gun: Maverick. In contrast, F1 arrived in 2025 with considerable fanfare, boasting a star-studded cast and a director with a proven track record. Yet, despite its promise, Maverick seems to have left its competitor trailing in several crucial respects.

Comparing the Essentials

Both productions feature international icons—Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt—under the direction of Joseph Kosinski. Their respective studios pulled out all the stops, and the numbers reflect their ambition. Maverick, however, not only achieved a higher IMDb rating and Rotten Tomatoes score, but also soared past the billion-dollar mark at the global box office, while F1’s impressive haul still fell short by comparison.

But what truly sets Maverick apart is not just its commercial success. The film manages to blend technical prowess with genuine emotional stakes, ensuring that every high-speed sequence is grounded in character and story. Audiences are drawn into Maverick’s world, feeling the weight of his past and the tension of his relationships, particularly with Rooster. F1, meanwhile, offers glimpses into Sonny Hayes’ history, but never quite achieves the same level of connection.

Balancing Nostalgia and Freshness

Maverick’s approach to nostalgia is measured. Rather than relying on endless callbacks, it reimagines moments from the original, most notably through Iceman’s return.

Their reunion is subtle, heartfelt, and provides closure to a decades-long rivalry, which has now turned into a friendship.

This careful handling of legacy material gives the film a sense of continuity without feeling derivative.

F1, lacking a predecessor, attempts to build its own legacy by incorporating real-life Formula One figures. However, these cameos rarely serve the narrative, leaving the film without the emotional resonance that Maverick achieves through its ties to the past.

Character Dynamics and Accessibility

One of Maverick’s strengths lies in its character interplay. The relationships feel authentic, with layers of camaraderie, rivalry, and growth. The dynamic between Maverick and Rooster is particularly compelling, evolving naturally over the course of the story. In contrast, F1’s mentor-mentee relationship feels rather formulaic, lacking the nuance that makes Maverick’s cast so engaging.

Accessibility is another area where Maverick excels. The film doesn’t require viewers to be aviation experts; the stakes are communicated visually and emotionally, making it easy for anyone to follow. F1, on the other hand, leans heavily into the technicalities of motorsport, which can be a bit much for those unfamiliar with the sport’s intricacies.

Emotional Impact and Stakes

Maverick delivers on emotional payoffs, building tension and releasing it in satisfying ways. The film’s narrative threads—Maverick’s guilt, Rooster’s trust issues, and their eventual reconciliation—are handled with care, ensuring that each moment lands with proper weight. F1 does offer its own moments of drama, particularly in the climactic race, but the emotional stakes never quite reach the same heights.

Finally, Maverick benefits from a clear, formidable challenge. The faceless enemy and the seemingly impossible mission create a palpable sense of danger, keeping viewers invested throughout. F1, by contrast, lacks a true antagonist, focusing instead on internal rivalries that don’t always provide the same dramatic tension.

Both films are available to stream, with F1 on Amazon and Maverick on Paramount+ in the US.