We’re getting a Top Gun fan experience before a sequel to Top Gun: Maverick. Looking to make the best of a rough economy, Paramount — owners of the Top Gun franchise — recently announced a movie-themed bar opening at “The Strat” (Stratosphere tower) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Paramount reportedly plans to launch other Top Gun-themed bars across the world if the idea succeeds at the first Vegas locale. Think of it as an adult version of Universal Studios’ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where you can get some fancy drinks, cosplay as a Navy pilot, and take selfies with Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer lookalikes.
Decked out in the naval-aviation theme and celebrating all things related to fighter-jet culture (no indication yet if there will be sandpits for impromptu volleyball matches), Paramount hopes to turn this into a global enterprise. As you’ve already guessed, there’s way more to this story than meets the eye, and it reveals a lot about consumer tendencies, both in and out of the theater setting. As theaters lose their appeal, these kinds of attractions are a safer bet, as studios are confused about what moviegoers want. Diversifying into upscale theme parks has proven way more lucrative and stable, with I.P. holders hedging increasingly risky cinematic bets.
Exit Through the Gift Shop
While we bide our time waiting for another sequel in the Top Gun franchise, Paramount is banking on nostalgic fans and younger moviegoers to whet their appetites with the next best thing. Thanks to a deal with Advent Allen Entertainment, Paramount expects to lure the Vegas tourist crowd away from the slots and shows with some jet simulators and the obligatory gift shop for mock flight jackets, licensed Ray-Bans, and Miles Teller action figures. Advent Allen Entertainment CEO Mark Advent promised a unique opportunity for fans to connect and share their love of the Top Gun films with The Hollywood Reporter:
“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!”
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We’ll just say it, because no one else covering this story will: The Strat needs big-name attractions more than Paramount does. Years of rides, gimmicks, and hyped destinations have failed to attract the attention that the rest of Vegas receives, and frankly, that section of the city has been trying to remake its image for years. Their bid to highlight the north end of Vegas, including an F1-race L.V. Grand Prix, hasn’t done much to bring in tourist dollars to the forgotten section of the Vegas strip. Where race cars fail to satisfy the desire for velocity, surely Tom Cruise can succeed, right?
Reading Between the Lines of the ‘Top Gun’ Restaurant
Paramount, much like The Strat, has seen better days. In February, it reported a staggering $286 million loss from its streaming platforms, including Paramount+ and Pluto, per the L.A. Times. And that sum was actually considered good news in comparison to years past, demonstrating how over-leveraged Paramount had become. Paramount, which also owns CBS, is currently seeking to avert a $20 billion lawsuit settlement with Donald Trump concerning the network’s interview with Kamala Harris on the CBS news show 60 Minutes.
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The Top Gun bar and grill, or whatever its final incarnation may be, comes on the heels of news that Paramount is desperately seeking a bailout from Skydance Media, as we previously explored last year. Skydance CEO David Ellison is seeking to acquire the once-venerable company from the Redstone family. That deal has not yet been finalized, but is almost certain to be completed by this time next year.
How We Got From Screening Films To “Eventizing the Moviegoing Experience”
It’s actually a shrewd strategy, even if it suggests the folks at Paramount don’t have faith in their core business and product, movies. They are taking a page from Disney’s playbook, which has divided its business into three portions, including “Disney Experiences,” which handles theme parks, attractions, and hotels. Considering Disney is now constructing its seventh Disney park (the newest one in Abu Dhabi) as its films stumble at the box office, Paramount is wise to copy Disney’s homework. Simply going the route of Alamo Drafthouse and adding recliners and cocktails isn’t going to cut it.
As Deadline reported, an increasing number of theaters are looking to rebrand themselves as adult hang-outs, places that also happen to show films, or “Eventizing the Moviegoing Experience,” as a SXSW panel phrased it. If this is any indicator of things to come, expect more F/A-18 cockpit sims, sing-alongs, and ax-throwing. And movie screens? Well, you might see a film playing in the background behind the skee-ball machine if you squint through the cloud of steam coming off your sirloin platter.
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