Cruise Revives 'Days of Thunder'
Paramount, Tom Cruise Set for Days of Thunder 2; Jonathan Levine Eyed to Direct
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Key Points
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Jeff Gordon revealed to Road & Track that Tom Cruise told him, "We're doing Days of Thunder 2," signaling a clear confirmation from an insider and lending credibility to the project’s momentum.
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Screenwriter Will Staples has credits on Without Remorse and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, suggesting the sequel will pursue a gritty, contemporary action tone while honoring the original’s themes.
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Paramount has already locked in and officially underway a Top Gun: Maverick sequel as of April 2026, underscoring the studio’s broader revival strategy alongside Days of Thunder 2.
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Jonathan Levine, known for 50/50 and Warm Bodies, is in negotiations to direct Days of Thunder 2, marking a new directorial chapter for Cruise’s NASCAR revival under Paramount.
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The original Days of Thunder featured a high-profile ensemble (Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Michael Rooker, John C. Reilly, Cary Elwes, Randy Quaid) and a Hans Zimmer score, highlighting the franchise’s enduring legacy that the sequel aims to honor.
Jonathan Levine is in talks to direct Days of Thunder 2, bringing Tom Cruise back behind the wheel as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle more than three decades after the original, according to IGN. Cruise will also produce the film alongside veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer, with Will Staples writing the screenplay.
Whiskey Riff reports that production is officially underway at Paramount, cementing the sequel as the studio's next big Cruise vehicle. The project follows the massive success of Top Gun: Maverick and fits squarely into Paramount's strategy of reviving beloved Cruise franchises.
Jeff Gordon Confirmed Cruise's Plans First
The earliest public signal came from NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon. Cruise told Gordon directly, "We're doing Days of Thunder 2," according to a Gordon interview with Road & Track. That offhand confirmation set the internet buzzing long before any official studio announcement.
Now the project has moved well past rumor. Paramount has formally set the sequel in development, Cruise is locked in to star and produce, and Levine's directorial negotiations are actively underway, per IGN. The pieces are falling into place quickly.
Jonathan Levine Steps Into Tony Scott's Legacy
Levine is best known for the 2011 comedy-drama 50/50 and the 2013 zombie romance Warm Bodies. His tone sits somewhere between emotional and irreverent — a different feel from Tony Scott's original, which was all sweat and speed. Still, IGN notes Levine is the current frontrunner for the director's chair.
The original Days of Thunder featured Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, John C. Reilly, Michael Rooker, and a Hans Zimmer score. It grossed over $157 million worldwide in 1990. Whether any original cast members return alongside Cruise has not been confirmed.
Will Staples Brings a Gritty Action Pen to NASCAR
Screenwriter Will Staples is handling the script. His credits include the 2021 action thriller Without Remorse and the story for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. That resume points toward a hard-edged, contemporary take rather than a soft nostalgia trip, according to Whiskey Riff.
The plot details are still under wraps. But the expectation is that the sequel will honor the original's core themes — rivalry, redemption, and racing — while updating the action for modern audiences. NASCAR itself has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, giving the sequel a timely hook.
Paramount Bets Big on the Cruise Revival Playbook
Top Gun: Maverick earned over $1.49 billion worldwide in 2022. That success gave Paramount confidence to greenlight sequels to other Cruise classics. As of April 2026, Paramount has also officially announced a Top Gun: Maverick sequel, making Days of Thunder 2 part of a broader franchise-revival push, per Whiskey Riff.
Bruckheimer produced both the original Days of Thunder and Top Gun: Maverick, making him a key link between the two revival projects. With Cruise, Bruckheimer, and Paramount all aligned, the sequel looks less like a long shot and more like a sure bet heading into production.
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