‘Top Gun: The Next Generation’ Reality Series Enters Danger Zone On Nat Geo

Top Gun: The Next Generation (working title) is flying to National Geographic.

The brand new reality series will follow a group of officers into the danger zone as they take on the Advanced Flight Training Program to become elite strike fighter pilots. The pilots will be embarking on some of the most challenging flight tests including landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. The elite program would also mean that only the best of the best would make it to the top to fly the world’s most advanced jet, the F-35C Lightning II.

The reality series follows 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick which grossed US$1.5 billion worldwide.

“With so many millions of fans of the film around the world, I was immediately drawn to this series – these elite jet pilots are not only extremely accomplished and impressive, but all have very different stories to tell,” said Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted Content, National Geographic.

“With Nat Geo’s exclusive unprecedented inside access, this series promises to be an exhilarating, visually jaw-dropping and fascinating journey into the intensely competitive world of elite flying.” 

Top Gun: The Next Generation is produced by Zinc Media and is created by Karen Edwards, who also serves as showrunner. Tanya Shaw will executive produce, while Lana Salah is series director.

“The intimate access we have gained to the characters and the emotional character-led story arcs that run through the series will paint a vivid, compelling narrative around the young men and women embarking on this highly stressful process,” added Tanya Shaw, managing director, Zinc Television.

“That narrative will elevate the series beyond the noise and spectacle of fighter jets to tell the tense, nuanced and poignant human stories behind the public-facing bravado. This is a unique project, and we are thrilled to be bringing it to viewers.”