Days of Thunder Sequel Confirmed With Cruise and Hathaway
Tom Cruise has officially confirmed a Days of Thunder sequel for summer 2028, with Anne Hathaway joining him in the long-awaited follow-up to the 1990 NASCAR drama. Paramount has set a June 2, 2028 theatrical release.
The Days of Thunder sequel Anne Hathaway is joining has moved from long-running speculation to an officially announced movie, with Tom Cruise confirming that he will return as Cole Trickle and Hathaway will co-star in the racing drama. The sequel is scheduled to open in theaters on June 2, 2028, nearly 38 years after the original film arrived in 1990.
Cruise and Hathaway revealed the project together at Daytona International Speedway on August 29, posing beside a stock car carrying the Days of Thunder branding. UPI documented Cruise’s announcement, including the social-media video in which the two stars confirmed their plans to make the film.
Anne Hathaway joins Tom Cruise in the Days of Thunder sequel
Hathaway will play a race team owner and engineer, while Cruise is expected to reprise Cole Trickle, the ambitious driver he first played in Tony Scott’s 1990 original. Variety reported the casting and June 2028 release date, while confirming that Paramount Pictures is backing the project.
The role gives Hathaway another major franchise assignment in a year that has kept her near the center of studio filmmaking. The Showbiz Journal recently covered her induction into the Disney Legends Class of 2026, a ceremony that recognized her long relationship with projects including The Princess Diaries.
Hathaway is also returning to one of her best-known screen worlds in The Devil Wears Prada 2. The Showbiz Journal has previously examined the sequel’s evolving production and fashion-industry storyline, making the new racing film another notable franchise chapter in her current slate.
Jonathan Levine will direct the long-awaited follow-up
Jonathan Levine is set to direct the new Days of Thunder film from a screenplay by Will Staples. Cruise will produce alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper. TheWrap confirmed the creative team and Paramount’s June 2, 2028 release plan.
Bruckheimer’s return connects the project directly to the original film, which he produced with Don Simpson. Cruise’s involvement as both star and producer also puts the sequel in familiar territory after the enormous commercial success of Top Gun: Maverick, another legacy follow-up built around one of his signature 1980s characters.
The new movie will arrive in a very different racing-film environment than the original. Modern motorsport productions have increasingly emphasized practical driving, large-format photography and access to real tracks, while audiences have recently shown significant interest in racing stories across film, documentary and streaming.
The original Days of Thunder introduced Cole Trickle in 1990
The first Days of Thunder followed Cole Trickle as he entered the NASCAR world and developed into a front-line driver. Robert Duvall played veteran crew chief Harry Hogge, while Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid, Michael Rooker, Cary Elwes and John C. Reilly were among the ensemble cast.
The film also became historically significant to Cruise’s personal and professional life because it marked his first screen collaboration with Kidman. The pair later married, though no official announcement has indicated that Kidman will return for the sequel.
Current reporting instead positions Hathaway as a new character rather than a replacement version of Kidman’s Dr. Claire Lewicki. That distinction gives the sequel room to revisit Cole Trickle’s racing world without simply reconstructing the relationships from the 1990 film.
Summer 2028 now has one of Cruise’s biggest legacy projects
The sequel is expected to be positioned as a major theatrical release. People independently confirmed the announcement, including Cruise’s return, Hathaway’s casting, Jonathan Levine’s direction and the June 2, 2028 release date.
Many details remain unannounced. Paramount has not revealed the complete supporting cast, a final official title beyond the Days of Thunder branding, or a full plot synopsis. There is also no confirmed production start date in the material released so far.
What is now clear is that the film has moved beyond development chatter. Cruise has publicly attached himself to the sequel, Hathaway is joining him, a director and screenwriter are in place and Paramount has claimed a summer 2028 date.
For Cruise, the project brings another defining role back to the screen. For Hathaway, the Days of Thunder sequel Anne Hathaway is joining adds another high-profile studio film to a slate already filled with major franchises and returning properties.
About the author
Jonas Muthoni
Jonas Muthoni is the Editor at The Showbiz Journal, where he curates and oversees engaging content across the lifestyle, entertainment, and celebrity news landscape. With a sharp eye for storytelling and a deep understanding of pop culture trends, Jonas brings fresh, authentic perspectives to the publication. His editorial work reflects a passion for uncovering unique voices and spotlighting the moments that shape the world of entertainment.
