Miles Teller is more than willing to step back into the cockpit for the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick sequel—so long as he gets ample time to prepare.
During his appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, February 4, the 37-year-old actor addressed the possibility of returning as his character, Rooster.
“Look, you might be shocked, but I do not green-light that thing. I have nothing to do [with it],” Teller quipped. “I just told Tom [Cruise], ‘Give me enough time and a heads-up so I can get in shape. It’s one month per ab. I need a six-month heads-up.’”
Teller went on to joke that his fitness strategy consists of working on one abdominal muscle at a time.
Excitement Builds for ‘Top Gun 3’
Teller, who starred alongside Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in the 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, acknowledged the growing enthusiasm for a sequel.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm on the fan side, [and] there’s a lot of enthusiasm on the creative side,” he shared. He also promised to relay Colbert’s ideas for a potential storyline in Top Gun 3.
Getting in Shape for the Role
To prepare for Maverick, particularly the now-iconic shirtless beach football scene, Teller worked with renowned personal trainer Jason Walsh.
“Tom is a huge advocate of making sure that these guys are really put through the rigors and the tests,” Walsh exclusively told in June 2022.
“They were actually in these jets … so [it was about] physical preparation, just getting strong, moving well, making sure physically he was very fit.”
Miles Teller (Photo: WireImage)While Teller underwent intense training for months, Walsh revealed that additional conditioning was done in the weeks leading up to the beach scene.
“We did a lot of conditioning a couple of weeks [before] the beach scene, just to try to top off, but he really didn’t need it. He was ready,” Walsh said, emphasizing Teller’s dedication.
According to the trainer, Teller approached the regimen with professionalism and discipline.
“You could just tell that this was really going to require [him] to push his limits physically. And the payoff was an incredible movie,” Walsh explained.
“You’ve got to get your mind right. … We had a program set that was ready to go. We followed that program. We kept track of all the numbers. Every single workout had a progression. And then, of course, the diet side of it is 50 percent.”
A Strict Diet Plan
Teller’s transformation also required a carefully structured diet, managed by an in-house dietitian.
“For breakfast, it was six eggs, and then, you know, you work out and have a shake,” Teller detailed in a YouTube video. “Then it was two lunches. Each lunch would be a chicken breast, a full potato, and some broccoli, and I’d have two of those.”
He continued, “And then I remember there’d be another snack after that. For dinner, specifically, it was 20 ounces of certain fish or steak. So you’re just eating so much. That’s really what I didn’t enjoy.”
What’s Next for ‘Top Gun 3’?
While Top Gun 3 has yet to be officially confirmed, reports indicate that discussions are underway. Given the overwhelming success of Maverick, it seems likely that fans will once again return to the danger zone—possibly with Teller’s Rooster back in action.