'Top Gun: Maverick' release pushed back to December due to coronavirus outbreak

Hollywood star Tom Cruise on Friday announced that the release of his much-awaited film Top Gun: Maverick has been postponed to December due to coronavirus pandemic. The anticipated Paramount Pictures movie, which was scheduled to debut on June 24, will now release December 23, 2020.

Cruise took to Twitter to share the new release date of the film, which is the sequel to his 1986 classic Top Gun.

“I know many of you have waited 34 years. Unfortunately, it will be a little longer. Top Gun: Maverick will fly this December. Stay safe, everyone,” the actor posted on Twitter.

The follow-up features Cruise reprising his role as US Naval aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell along with Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer and Jon Hamm.

The Joseph Kosinski-directed film is the latest project to have been pulled from release because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Paramount also pushed the release of A Quiet Place: Part II to September and The Spongebob Movie: Sponge the Run to July.