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Legacy sequels seem to be increasingly common at the moment, with studios continuing to dust off decades-old properties in hopes of capturing the same nostalgic magic. But while some of these get stuck in development hell, some are merely mentioned in passing, and others feel like exercises in wishful thinking, one long-rumored sequel suddenly looks like it's taking shape. Tom Cruise and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have already proved they can turn one classic action movie into a billion-dollar phenomenon with Top Gun: Maverick, and now it seems the pair are reuniting to revisit another of Cruise's classic action films, with a long-rumored sequel finally taking a significant step forward.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount has found its director for Cruise's intended next production, the sequel to Tony Scott's 1990 NASCAR action drama, Days of Thunder. Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies) is in talks to direct, with Cruise reprising his starring role and Bruckheimer once again producing, reuniting two of the biggest creative forces behind the original film.
The Other Tom Cruise and Tony Scott Action Movie Is Finally Returning
Days Of Thunder often felt like the neglected younger sibling of the more popular, quotable Top Gun, and never really achieved the same lasting cultural impact. Released in 1990, it was essentially Cruise and director Tony Scott trading fighter jets for racecars, telling the story of hot-headed NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, whose raw talent is tempered by experience as he learns the value of discipline, teamwork, and restraint.
In recent years, the film has undergone a reappraisal, with many now considering it an underrated classic in Cruise's filmography. This reassessment, combined with the success of Top Gun: Maverick, seems to have reignited interest in returning to the world of NASCAR racing. The Top Gun sequel became the highest-grossing movie of Cruise's career and Paramount's biggest box-office success to date, earning almost $1.5 billion worldwide. Suddenly, revisiting another one of Cruise's films from his youth didn't seem all that far-fetched.
Cruise himself has done little to discourage the speculation. He first revealed that he was thinking of ideas for a sequel in 2024, and retired NASCAR racer, and Hendrick Motorsports executive Jeff Gordon reported to Road & Track last year that Cruise had been pretty unequivocal about the sequel when he bumped into him at the Mission: Impossible premiere:
"The first word out of his mouth is, 'We're doing it. We're doing Days Of Thunder 2.'"
Of course, there are more than a few stumbling blocks along the way. The most obvious of which is the absence of Tony Scott, whose distinctive visual style helped define the original film. His use of saturated colors, fast camera movements, and adrenaline-fueled race sequences was a major part of Days of Thunder's identity. This, oddly, is why Levine may be an inspired choice for director. Better known for character studies and relationship dramas, he couldn't be more different from Scott, which at the very least suggests that the movie won't simply try to replicate the original. Add to this a script from Will Staples, who aside from writing video games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Without Remorse, also did uncredited work on Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, and it sounds like this one is actually moving forward already.
Sadly, the death of Robert Duvall in 2024 means that the sequel will be missing one of the original film's most memorable characters - the irascible veteran crew chief, Harry Hogge. His absence will be keenly felt, but the rest of the cast is less certain - whether co-stars Nicole Kidman, Cary Elwes, Michael Rooker, Randy Quaid, and John C. Reilly can be enticed to return remains to be seen.
Unlike many legacy sequels that begin life as little more than hopeful rumors, Days of Thunder 2 now appears to have genuine momentum. Cruise has been talking about revisiting the title for several years, Bruckheimer is on board, and now the project finally seems to be assembling the creative team needed to put the pedal to the metal and make it happen!
