Sony boss says Venom 2 paved the way for Top Gun: Maverick's success

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Top Gun: Maverick has grossed over a billion dollars worldwide

Venom 2 and Top Gun: Maverick
(Image credit: Sony/Paramount)

For many, Top Gun: Maverick’s box office result has become a clear sign that the movie theaters have returned to pre-pandemic success. The Tom Cruise-led sequel has grossed more than $1.2 billion so far worldwide, making it the biggest 2022 film to date.

However, Sony motion picture group presidents Sanford Panitch and Josh Greenstein have suggested part of this success could be down to their earlier gambles. In particular, the duo pointed to Venom 2’s release.

"There’s so much press about Top Gun right now. It’s like, 'the movie business is back!'" Panitch told Vulture. "In a weird way, I would say Top Gun is benefitting from us taking our shot. Venom is the start of that story that allows Top Gun to do the kind of business it did. These things don’t happen overnight. It’s a seeding."

"We took a big gamble putting Venom in theaters," Greenstein continued. "Then we doubled down with Ghostbusters. Then our biggest bet was when every other tentpole had fled, we tripled down with Spider-Man – our biggest, most important piece of IP."

Fay Watson
Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.