Actor Tom Cruise will return to the race track in a sequel to the action classic Days of Thunder, almost 40 years after the original movie debuted in cinemas. Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway has also joined the cast for the upcoming sports drama.
The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on June 2, 2028, according to entertainment publication Variety. While official plot details have not yet been revealed, 64-year-old Cruise is confirmed to reprise his starring role as stock car driver Cole Trickle. Meanwhile, 43-year-old Hathaway will portray a racing team owner and engineer.
Jonathan Levine, who previously directed the horror comedy Warm Bodies, has been tapped to direct the project. Cruise will produce the feature alongside veteran Hollywood blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer and producer Tommy Harper.
The production is set to be shot using IMAX cameras and will receive an exclusive theatrical rollout across Dolby Cinema, 4DX, and IMAX auditoriums. Premium theatrical formats like IMAX and 4DX offer specialized high-definition visuals, immersive surround sound, and motion-synchronized seats designed for action cinema.
Cast and movie background
The original Days of Thunder, released in 1990, followed Trickle as an ambitious young driver recruited into stock car racing by retired legend Harry Hogge, played by Robert Duvall. The high-speed action drama featured a prominent supporting cast that included Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid, and John C. Reilly.
Cruise and Kidman first met on the set of the 1990 film and began a high-profile relationship during production. The couple married shortly afterward and remained together for over a decade before their divorce was finalized in 2001.
The original story was set in the high-stakes world of NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Stock car racing is one of the most popular motorsport series in North America, famous for high-speed competition on banked oval tracks.
Upcoming film projects
The new project expands Cruise's ongoing efforts to revisit classic action hits from his career. The actor is also set to star in another installment of the Top Gun franchise following the global box office success of Top Gun: Maverick.
Before returning as Cole Trickle in the 2028 racing sequel, Cruise will appear in cinemas later this year in the feature film Digger.
