While Top Gun: Maverick outperformed the original Top Gun at the box office, it is debatable how much of the blockbuster’s success was due to its status as a sequel. Top Gun: Maverick was one of the most delayed sequels in Hollywood history. The original Top Gun was released to critical indifference and massive box office success back in 1986 and its sequel didn't reach cinemas until 2022. While the COVID-19 pandemic’s theater closures did account for the final two years of these delays, a tortured production process caused the other 34 years of waiting.

https://screenrant.com/top-gun-maverick-original-movie-sequel-success-effect/