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Days of Thunder 2 is mashing the gas. And Paramount may have its director for the much-anticipated cinematic NASCAR sequel.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount has zeroed in on Jonathan Levine to direct Days of Thunder 2. With Tom Cruise set to star and a writer pegged to write the script, Levine could be set to let the engines roar.
“Paramount is finally putting the pedal to the floor on a sequel to Days of Thunder, giving the keys to Jonathan Levine to sit in the driver’s seat as director of the Tom Cruise vehicle.
“Cruise is on board to star in the follow-up to his 1990 racing drama and is producing with Jerry Bruckheimer, one of the producers of the original. The feature is intended to be Cruise’s next production.”
Although none of the plot has been leaked, filming is expected to begin in 2027.
According to a report in Sports Business Journal, a Hollywood film writer has been meeting with NASCAR teams and drivers to help develop a plot for the sequel. The original Days of Thunder film was released in 1990. Tom Cruise starred as Cole Trickle, a young NASCAR driver looking to make his way to the top of the Cup Series.
Days of Thunder was a financial success as it made over $157 million worldwide. It also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound.
SBJ provided more on the writer making his way around NASCAR tracks looking for inspiration. It wrote: “Four people familiar with the matter said a Hollywood writer has been at recent races, including the Phoenix championship in November and the Daytona 500 last month. Two people identified the writer as Will Staples. … Staples also visited some team race shops near Charlotte, one of the people said.”
Staples has contributed on projects like the film “Without Remorse,” starring Michael B. Jordan, as well as the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 video game, according to his IMDB page. Is he ready to spin up a classic on the track?
That will certainly be the hope of NASCAR enthusiasts around the world. The original film was hailed as a strong representation of the sport and has been widely embraced.
Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of the original film, already made it clear he was ready to do a Days of Thunder sequel with Cruise. At the “F1” premiere in mid-June, Bruckheimer spoke to Entertainment Tonight about a new Days of Thunder movie being in the works.
