Tom Cruise will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle in a follow-up to the 1990 film “Days of Thunder.” Cruise made the announcement on Saturday from Daytona International Speedway, hours before NASCAR's regular-season finale.
The new film is scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures on June 2, 2028, with Anne Hathaway co-starring as a team owner and engineer. Cruise will also produce the movie alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper. Jonathan Levine is attached to direct, working from a script by Will Staples.
First reported in November 2024, the idea for a sequel to the original NASCAR racing film had been discussed between Cruise and Paramount. The initial “Days of Thunder” was met with criticism for its exaggerations but has since developed a cult following within the NASCAR community. The film is remembered for lines such as crew chief Harry Hogge's quote, “Rubbin’, son, is racin’."
"Days of Thunder" was conceived by Cruise during his rise to fame following "Top Gun." The character of Cole Trickle was loosely inspired by the late NASCAR driver Tim Richmond. Jeff Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion and now vice chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, has previously expressed support for a sequel.
The original film is credited with introducing NASCAR to a broader audience. While other racing movies preceded it, “Days of Thunder” was noted for its mainstream depiction of stock-car racing. Since its release, NASCAR's portrayal in film and television has had mixed results, with "Talladega Nights" achieving success while other projects, like the Netflix series "The Crew," have been less favorably received.