Anne Hathaway Joins Tom Cruise in Paramount’s ‘Days of Thunder 2’

Nicole Kidman, whom Cruise met on the original film before the two married, will not appear in the sequel. 

Paramount is finally moving on a sequel to Days of Thunder, and Anne Hathaway is joining Tom Cruise for the ride. Cruise announced the news himself on social media, sharing a photo of the two leaning against a NASCAR race car in Daytona.

The clip that came with it had a lighter moment too: Hathaway, currently pregnant, joked that she needs to have the baby before filming actually starts. The film is set for release June 2, 2028, shot for IMAX and playing in Dolby Cinema, 4DX, and other premium formats.

Cruise returns as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, the role that made the original 1990 film one of his most memorable outings.

Reporters claim that Anne Hathaway will portray a team owner and engineer for Cole Trickles’ new home as he Re-enter NASCAR. Full plot details remain under wraps. Cruise produces alongside Jerry Bruckheimer, who also produced the original, and Tommy Harper. Will Staples wrote the script.

Why This Project Is Suddenly Moving Fast

Hathaway’s casting comes right after Paramount locked in Jonathan Levine to direct, a move that fast-tracked the film into becoming Cruise’s next production. Levine has directed comedies including Long Shot, Warm Bodies, and The Night Before.

Paramount is also releasing his upcoming sports drama Mr. Irrelevant this Christmas. There’s a small irony in the pairing, too. Levine recently directed episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers, starring Nicole Kidman, who won’t be part of Days of Thunder 2 at all.

Kidman played neurosurgeon Dr. Claire Lewicki in the original film, and meeting Cruise on that set led to an 11-year marriage. The two went on to co-star again in Ron Howard’s Far and Away and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Kidman has spoken fondly about that first meeting, recalling Cruise pulling up to set in a Porsche and instantly making an impression.

Her character isn’t expected to return for the sequel.

What The Original Film Was Actually About

Days of Thunder, directed by the late Tony Scott, released in the summer of 1990 and earned $82.6 million domestic and $157.9 million worldwide.

Cruise conceived the story himself, which Robert Towne then scripted, following Cole Trickle, a hot-headed rookie driver recruited onto a NASCAR team by wealthy car dealer Tim Daland, played by Randy Quaid, under retired racing legend Harry Hogge, played by Robert Duvall.

Cary Elwes, Caroline Williams, and Michael Rooker also starred. Don Simpson produced the original alongside Bruckheimer.

Where Hathaway’s Career Stands Right Now

Days of Thunder 2 joins an already enormous stretch for Hathaway. She’s had films out this year including The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey, and The End of Oak Street, with the Colleen Hoover adaptation Verity still to come in October.

She also previewed The Princess Diaries 3 at Disney’s D23 event this month, and has already wrapped Ron Howard’s Afghanistan War drama Alone at Dawn, alongside Adam Driver and Betty Gilpin, expected in 2027.

For Cruise, this marks another return to a classic role, following a similar approach with 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. Before Days of Thunder 2, he’ll next appear in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger, which Warner Bros. releases October 2.

Joanthan P. Moustakas

Jonathan P. Moustakas founded The Cinema Group in 2020 during the challenges of the pandemic, after losing the vital ability to find community in theaters and escape through the captivating magic of cinema. Feeling profoundly cut off from the vibrant film community he cherished, he sought to create a welcoming home for dedicated cinema fans while providing engaging, daily curated content that resonates with their passions. Years later, The Cinema Group has blossomed from a small collective of loyal fans into a thriving brand that reaches millions of audiences every month across a diverse array of platforms and mediums.

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