Tom Cruise Confirms Days of Thunder Sequel for Summer 2028 With Anne Hathaway
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Tom Cruise is returning to the NASCAR world.
The actor has officially confirmed a sequel to the 1990 racing film Days of Thunder, with the new movie scheduled to arrive in theatres on June 2, 2028. Anne Hathaway will join Cruise in the new film, nearly four decades after the original movie hit theatres.
Cruise will return as Cole Trickle, the fictional NASCAR driver he played in the original Days of Thunder. Hathaway is set to play a race team owner and engineer.
Days of Thunder Sequel Confirmed for 2028
The announcement came from Daytona International Speedway on August 29, 2026, ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race there. Cruise shared the news alongside Hathaway, with the pair posing next to a race car wearing the familiar green and yellow livery associated with Cole Trickle.
The car carried the Days of Thunder name along with the Summer 2028 release message. The announcement makes it clear that Paramount is moving ahead with the long discussed sequel.
Paramount has now set June 2, 2028 as the theatrical release date. The film is also being planned for IMAX, with releases in formats including Dolby Cinema and 4DX.
That gives Days of Thunder fans something rather specific to put on the calendar.
Tom Cruise Returns as Cole Trickle
Cruise will once again play Cole Trickle, the hotshot driver at the centre of the original movie.
The 1990 film followed Trickle as he entered the NASCAR world and tried to turn his natural speed and aggressive driving style into a successful racing career. The story eventually built towards the Daytona 500, making the sport and its racing culture a major part of the movie.
Cruise’s return is important because Days of Thunder was always closely associated with him. The actor’s involvement also gives the sequel a direct connection to the original rather than turning it into a completely separate NASCAR story.
The original film was directed by Tony Scott and featured Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid and Cary Elwes alongside Cruise. It later developed a strong following among NASCAR fans despite receiving a mixed critical response when it was released.
Anne Hathaway Joins the NASCAR Story
Anne Hathaway is the biggest new addition to the sequel.
Hathaway will reportedly play a race car team owner and engineer. That puts her character directly into the racing side of the story rather than simply serving as a traditional supporting character.
This will also mark the first time Cruise and Hathaway have worked together on screen.
The announcement had a lighter side as well. Hathaway is pregnant, and the pair joked that they would make the movie after she has her baby. Filming has not started yet.
Who Is Directing Days of Thunder 2?
Jonathan Levine is attached to direct the sequel, while Will Staples has written the screenplay.
Levine was reported to be in talks for the project in July before the sequel’s wider confirmation. Cruise will also produce the movie alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.
Jerry Bruckheimer’s return is another link to the original Days of Thunder. He produced the 1990 film and has remained involved with several major racing projects over the years.
For now, the details of the new story remain largely under wraps.
A Top Gun: Maverick Style Comeback?
The sequel has been building for some time.
After the huge success of Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise had spoken about giving Days of Thunder a similar treatment. The two movies already have an obvious connection. Both feature Cruise in a high speed racing or flying environment, and both came from the same era of his career.
Top Gun: Maverick showed that Cruise could return to a decades old character without simply making the movie a nostalgia exercise.
That makes the Days of Thunder sequel particularly interesting.
The challenge will be doing the same thing with NASCAR. The new movie has to bring back Cole Trickle while also giving audiences a reason to care about the next chapter of his story.
What We Know About Days of Thunder 2
Here is what has been confirmed so far:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Movie | Days of Thunder sequel |
| Release date | June 2, 2028 |
| Studio | Paramount Pictures |
| Lead actor | Tom Cruise |
| Returning character | Cole Trickle |
| New co star | Anne Hathaway |
| Hathaway's role | Race team owner and engineer |
| Director | Jonathan Levine |
| Writer | Will Staples |
| Producers | Tom Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper |
| Format | IMAX and other premium theatrical formats |
The Original Days of Thunder Still Matters
The original Days of Thunder arrived in 1990, shortly after Cruise had already become a major star through Top Gun.
Cruise played Cole Trickle as a talented but ambitious driver trying to establish himself in NASCAR. The movie mixed racing, rivalry, teamwork and personal drama, while putting real emphasis on the cars and the atmosphere surrounding stock car racing.
Now, 38 years later, Cruise is preparing to return to the same world.
The timing is also fitting. The sequel announcement happened at Daytona International Speedway, one of the most recognisable venues in NASCAR and an important part of the original movie’s story.
There is still plenty we do not know. The full plot has not been revealed, and production has yet to begin.
But the important part is no longer a rumour. Cole Trickle is coming back, Anne Hathaway is joining him, and Days of Thunder is scheduled to return to theatres on June 2, 2028.
For a movie about NASCAR, waiting two years for the green flag feels about right.
Sources & References
Official and primary sources
- Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures official website
Official studio source for Paramount movie information and releases. - Tom Cruise official social media
Tom Cruise on Instagram
Primary source for Cruise’s announcement of the sequel. - NASCAR
NASCAR official website
Useful official source for NASCAR, Daytona and racing related information. - Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway official website
Official source for the venue where the announcement took place.
Major US news and entertainment sources
- Associated Press
Associated Press report
Strong primary news reference covering Cruise’s announcement, cast and production details. - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times report
Detailed US entertainment industry coverage of the sequel and cast. - Variety
Variety report
Useful Hollywood industry source for the release date, IMAX plans, cast and production team. - The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Major US entertainment industry publication covering film production and Hollywood news. - Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly report
Good secondary source for the cast, director and release information. - People
People report
Useful entertainment focused coverage of Cruise and Hathaway joining the film.
Automotive and NASCAR sources
- RACER
RACER report on Days of Thunder 2
Particularly useful for your automotive audience because it focuses heavily on motorsport and racing. - The Sporting News
The Sporting News report
US sports coverage with useful NASCAR context and details about the sequel. - The Drive
The Drive Days of Thunder coverage
Strong automotive publication and a useful reference for the car and racing angle.
Canada and Australia friendly sources
- CBC News
CBC News
Major Canadian news source. Useful if you want Canadian readers to have a locally recognised reference. - CTV News
CTV News
Another strong Canadian news reference for entertainment and major US news. - ABC Australia
ABC News Australia
Major Australian public broadcaster and a strong source for Australian readers. - The Guardian Australia
The Guardian Australia
Useful secondary entertainment and culture reference for Australian traffic.
Days of Thunder Sequel FAQ
Here are the key details about the upcoming Days of Thunder sequel, including its release date, cast, characters and production.
The Days of Thunder sequel is scheduled to arrive in theatres on June 2, 2028. The film is also being planned for IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 4DX releases.
Yes. Tom Cruise is returning as Cole Trickle, the fictional NASCAR driver he played in the original 1990 Days of Thunder movie.
Anne Hathaway is set to play a race team owner and engineer. Her character will have a direct connection to the racing side of the story.
Tom Cruise announced the sequel on August 29, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway ahead of a NASCAR Cup Series race.
The original Days of Thunder was directed by Tony Scott. The 1990 film starred Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle and featured Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid and Cary Elwes.
Jonathan Levine is attached to direct the sequel. Will Staples has written the screenplay.
Tom Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper are listed as producers. Jerry Bruckheimer also produced the original Days of Thunder.
No. According to the information available at the time of the announcement, filming had not started. Production details and the full story remain largely under wraps.
The final title has not been clearly confirmed. The race car shown during the announcement carried the Days of Thunder name along with a Summer 2028 message.
Yes. Tom Cruise is returning as Cole Trickle, the same character he played in the 1990 film. The sequel also uses the familiar green and yellow racing livery associated with Trickle.
The sequel follows an idea Cruise had discussed after the success of Top Gun: Maverick. He wanted Days of Thunder to receive a similar modern treatment while bringing Cole Trickle back to the NASCAR world.
The 1990 movie followed Cole Trickle as he entered NASCAR and tried to establish himself as a successful racing driver. The story focused on competition, racing, teamwork and Trickle's push towards the Daytona 500.
