A lot of great movies came out in 2022. I still remember kicking things off with The Batman and being blown away by Robert Pattinson’s take on the Caped Crusader. Then, toward the end of the year, Avatar: The Way of Water finally arrived as the highly-anticipated sequel to Avatar, delivering stunning visuals and smashing box office records to become one of the highest-grossing films ever.
But the movie I have the fondest memories of came out in the summer of 2022 — and it’s the one Steven Spielberg said helped save cinema, Top Gun: Maverick.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, F1), Top Gun: Maverick is the long-awaited sequel to Top Gun (1986), starring Tom Cruise. Cruise returns to the cockpit as veteran naval aviator Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, who’s called back to the Top Gun program to train a new generation of elite fighter pilots. Their mission: a daring, high-stakes strike to destroy a heavily fortified underground enemy base.
The film features an incredible ensemble cast, including Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Jon Hamm, Charles Parnell, and Miles Teller, who plays Bradley Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s late best friend, Goose, and who is training to join the Top Gun program. It’s an action-packed film filled with heart, portraying themes of friendship and camaraderie that I found deeply moving.
If you’ve never seen Top Gun: Maverick, there’s no time like the present, as the movie has finally just made its debut on a free streaming service, which means you don’t have to pay a penny to watch it anymore.

- number of users
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80 million
- notable shows
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The Andy Griffith Show (1960), Sanford and Son, The Twilight Zone, Charmed
- notable movies
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Top Gun, Trading Places, Mission Impossible, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Premium Subscription
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No
Top Gun: Maverick is now available on Pluto TV
Stream the movie that helped save cinema for free
Pluto TV added more than 100 movies to its free content library this May, including Top Gun: Maverick. If you’re unfamiliar with Pluto TV, it’s a free, ad-supported streaming service owned by Paramount that lets you stream thousands of shows and movies without signing up for a monthly subscription.
So while you can watch Top Gun: Maverick for free, you will have to watch the occasional ad. However, if you are looking for an ad-free experience, there are other options to consider, such as watching the film ad-free on Paramount+ with a Premium subscription, or buying the film physically on Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD from Amazon.
Additionally, Top Gun: Maverick is returning to theaters this May to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original Top Gun, so if you missed seeing it on the silver screen back in 2022, now’s your chance.
Other free movies to watch on Pluto TV
The Godfather and Saving Private Ryan are also free to stream
Besides Top Gun: Maverick, there are plenty of other great free shows and movies to watch on Pluto TV. The service recently added the Mission: Impossible collection, letting you stream the first five films at no cost. It also brought in other iconic titles like The Godfather, Saving Private Ryan, War of the Worlds, and Braveheart. So if you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, there certainly isn’t a shortage of free options on Pluto TV.
If you want to check out the full list of free movies and TV shows that were added to Pluto TV this May, you can check out my other Pocket-lint story, which breaks it all down here.


