Paramount Global wants to take Las Vegas visitors to the Danger Zone.
The media company is partnering with Advent Allen Entertainment to create and launch a fully immersive experience based on its Top Gun franchise, which stars Tom Cruise.
The experience will be built on an undeveloped site at The Strat Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, and while details remain, uh, classified for now, the companies promise a combination of rides and storytelling, utilizing advanced technology and, of course, jet simulators.
The companies are also planning to recreate the Hard Deck bar from Top Gun: Maverick, promising live piano singalongs so visitors can channel their inner Miles Teller and sing “Great Balls of Fire.”
Top Gun has had a resurgence since the success of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, and Paramount is betting that its adrenaline-soaked nature will translate to an exciting experiential business. While the initial Top Gun Las Vegas (working title) is set to open in 2028, the companies say that they are actively exploring potential expansion locations in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world.
Immersive experiences have become something of a growth business for the entertainment industry. While Disney and Universal continue to pour billions into their global theme parks (Universal just opened its latest park, Epic Universe, this week), many companies are also exploring smaller, more focused efforts. Netflix, for example, is set to open its first two Netflix Houses later this year in Pennsylvania and Texas, and Universal is also experimenting, planning a horror-themed Las Vegas attraction for later this year, and a smaller kids theme park in Texas next year.
Paramount, for its part, seems content with strategically licensing its IP for immersive experiences, including an indoor theme park in New Jersey based on Nickelodeon, a deal to bring Spongebob to Universal’s Texas park, and now Top Gun.
“This innovative venture marks a new milestone for Top Gun and expands Paramount’s portfolio of immersive entertainment,” said Pam Kaufman, president and CEO of international markets, global consumer products and experiences at Paramount. “Paramount is committed to delivering authentic, mind-blowing experiences for fans, and Mark Advent and Bill Allen are the perfect team to make this destination soar.”
“The Top Gun films are one of the most emotionally charged stories of our time,” added Mark Advent, co-founder of Advent Allen Entertainment and creator of Las Vegas’ New York New York Hotel & Casino. “We’re proud to unite with Paramount to bring this timeless, action-packed epic to life — delivering experiences that embody teamwork, excellence, the exhilaration of speed and the thrill of flying. We are pulling out all the stops and looking forward to bringing Top Gun to even higher heights on the Strip and beyond!”