Top Gun Maverick is on Channel 4 tonight!

Top Gun: Maverick is on Channel 4 tonight at 9pm, the first time it has been on free-to-air tv in the UK.

It’s blockbuster time as Tom Cruise returns to the cockpit after 36 years in Top Gun: Maverick—and this time, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is the teacher. Despite his talent and years of service, Maverick has only risen to the rank of captain when, by all logic, he should be commanding the Navy. But true to his callsign, he’s still a rule-breaking maverick at heart.

His old rival-turned-friend, Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (a poignant return for Val Kilmer), is now an admiral and will later make it clear that Maverick’s career has unfolded exactly as expected. When we first see our hero, he’s pushing the limits of a top-secret spy plane program—right as it’s being shut down. But fate intervenes when Top Gun needs someone to train an elite squad of pilots for a near-impossible mission.

Along the way, Maverick butts heads with Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain (Ed Harris) and the by-the-book Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson (Jon Hamm). He rekindles an old flame with bar owner Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly) and is forced to confront the past when he comes face-to-face with Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller)—the son of his late best friend, Goose. With his father’s iconic mustache, aviators, and a passion for Great Balls of Fire, Rooster is a constant reminder of Maverick’s deepest regrets.

However, the top brass wants Maverick to instruct, not fly. But that won’t do—because he still has the need for speed.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, this high-flying sequel delivers adrenaline-fueled action, nostalgia, and emotional depth, proving that Maverick’s story is far from over.

Stream tonight from 9pm on Channel 4.