Anne Hathaway Joins Tom Cruise for ‘Days of Thunder’ Sequel

Anne Hathaway is officially teaming up with Tom Cruise for a high-octane sequel to the 1990 NASCAR classic Days of Thunder, set to hit theaters in summer 2028.

This project marks Cruise's latest high-profile effort to revive one of his classic hits, following the massive global success of Top Gun: Maverick. By bringing on an Oscar-winning co-star like Hathaway, the film signals a major theatrical push that aims to capture the same nostalgic magic and cutting-edge action that brought audiences back to theaters in droves.

WHAT HAPPENED

On Saturday, August 29, 2026, Paramount Pictures officially announced that Anne Hathaway will star opposite Tom Cruise in the long-awaited sequel to Days of Thunder. Cruise will reprise his iconic role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, while Hathaway will take on a lead role as a racecar team owner and engineer.

The announcement was accompanied by a social media video featuring Cruise and Hathaway posing in front of a Next-Gen stock car with a green and yellow Days of Thunder paint scheme. In the video, Hathaway also shared some personal news, revealing that she is pregnant with her third child. The two actors joked about the production timeline, with Cruise agreeing that they will begin filming after Hathaway has her baby.

Jonathan Levine, known for directing Warm Bodies and Long Shot, has been tapped to direct the film from a screenplay written by Will Staples. Cruise is producing the project alongside industry veterans Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper. The film is being shot specifically for IMAX screens and will receive a wide theatrical release in premium formats, including Dolby Cinema and 4DX.

• Release Date: June 2, 2028
• Starring: Tom Cruise (reprising his role as Cole Trickle) and Anne Hathaway (playing a team owner and engineer)
• Director: Jonathan Levine
• Producers: Tom Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tommy Harper
• Screenplay: Will Staples
• Format: Filmed for IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and 4DX
• Original Film Release: 1990, directed by the late Tony Scott, grossing $157.9 million worldwide

WHY IT MATTERS

The original 1990 Days of Thunder was a modest box office success and a cultural touchstone for NASCAR fans, but it never reached the legendary status of Cruise's other 1980s and 90s blockbusters. However, following the historic success of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, Paramount and Cruise are betting that audiences are eager for another dose of high-stakes, practical-effects-driven legacy nostalgia.

For NASCAR, the sequel represents a massive opportunity to re-enter the mainstream American cultural spotlight. The sport's popularity peaked in the mid-2000s and has since stabilized, but a major Hollywood blockbuster could introduce stock car racing to a brand-new generation of fans. Additionally, casting Hathaway—who is having a highly productive year with projects like The Odyssey and The Devil Wears Prada 2—adds serious star power and dramatic weight to the project, ensuring it is positioned as a major theatrical event.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

With a release date locked in for June 2, 2028, production is expected to gear up once Hathaway welcomes her third child. Filming is anticipated to take place at real-world NASCAR tracks, potentially utilizing actual race weekends to capture the authentic, high-speed energy of the sport, similar to how the original 1990 film was shot. Fans can expect more casting announcements in the coming months as the production team builds out Cole Trickle's modern-day racing world.

WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW

1. Will any other original cast members, such as Nicole Kidman or Michael Rooker, return for the sequel?
2. How will the story address the passage of nearly four decades, and will Cole Trickle still be actively racing or transition into a mentoring role?
3. What specific NASCAR tracks and active modern-day Cup Series drivers will be featured in the film's racing sequences?

SOURCE NOTE

This story draws on reporting from Page Six.