Tom Cruise is looking into a surprising new sequel to one of his classic action films—but not the one you might expect. The actor is in discussions with Paramount to revisit Days of Thunder, his 1990 NASCAR racing drama.
On the surface, the idea seems audacious. Days of Thunder was not a massive box-office hit when it was released, grossing $157 million globally against a $60 million production budget, and it received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics.
However, following the successful revival of Top Gun with the 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise is optimistic he can bring the same renewed energy to Days of Thunder.
Like Top Gun, the original Days of Thunder was a Paramount project produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott.
A reboot of the title had previously been proposed as a series for Paramount+, an idea Cruise reportedly vetoed.
Key factors in moving forward with a Days of Thunder sequel include finding the right script, as the studio is currently seeking writers, as well as Cruise’s demanding schedule.
The 62-year-old actor-producer is preparing to film a new project with The Revenant director Alejandro G.
Iñárritu for Warner Bros./Legendary, developing a space-set movie with Doug Liman for Universal, and working on a follow-up to Top Gun: Maverick, which both Cruise and Paramount see as a priority.
“He’s talking [to Paramount] about both Top Gun and Days of Thunder,” said a source close to the studio. “What comes together first will depend on the script and idea.” Cruise is reported to have final approval on the script for any of his projects.
Racing movies have gained popularity lately, thanks to films like James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari (2019), Michael Mann’s recent Ferrari (2023), and the upcoming F1, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski.
Kosinski would appear to be an ideal choice to direct a Days of Thunder sequel, though it seems unlikely he would want to make two consecutive racing films.
The abundance of recent racing films could make a Days of Thunder revival challenging; unlike Top Gun, which returned to a relatively open niche, Days of Thunder would reenter a crowded market.
Yet, none of these films specifically look into NASCAR’s unique Americana, setting it apart from the European-dominated worlds of Le Mans and Formula 1.
A Paramount insider didn’t dismiss the idea: “I don’t think a [Days of Thunder sequel] is a terrible idea. People may have thought revisiting Top Gun was a bad idea, but look at the success of Maverick.”
Days of Thunder has retained a loyal fan base, including filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. “Hands down, my favorite [racing movie] is Days of Thunder,” he remarked in 2013.
“Yeah, it had a big budget and big stars, but it had the spirit of those early [American International Pictures] racing movies. Racing movies don’t work if they take themselves too seriously.”
The film is also notable as the project where Cruise met his future wife, Nicole Kidman, who starred as the neurosurgeon love interest of his character, Cole Trickle.
Meanwhile, Cruise’s Mission: Impossible 8, directed by longtime collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, is in post-production. The project, reportedly budgeted at nearly $400 million after pandemic delays and the 2023 Hollywood strikes, has had a challenging road to completion.
While Mission: Impossible 7 – Dead Reckoning Part One received high praise (scoring over 94%) and performed well at the box office, its budget of nearly $300 million led to a modest return of $566 million globally.
Dead Reckoning ended on a cliffhanger, deviating from the franchise’s usual standalone structure, which might make M:I 8 more challenging to market.
Paramount has since dropped “Part One” from Dead Reckoning’s title, planning to reveal the new title for M:I 8 with its first trailer in the coming weeks.
Adding an intriguing dimension, Paramount is considering promoting M:I 8 as the “final” film in the franchise to create buzz. Cruise, however, has been reluctant to bid farewell to his role as Ethan Hunt, stating that he aims to continue the franchise well into his later years.
“Harrison Ford is a legend,” Cruise noted last year. “I’ve got 20 years to catch up to him, and I’d love to keep making Mission: Impossible movies until I’m his age.”
Despite recent setbacks, Paramount is optimistic about M:I 8 and hopes to premiere it at the Cannes Film Festival.
While Cannes debuts can be risky for big-budget projects, as evidenced by the critical response to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Horizon: An American Saga, Paramount is confident that M:I 8 will hold up under festival scrutiny. The timing is ideal, as Cannes runs from May 13 to 24, just before M:I 8’s May 23 release date.
“I think Tom’s in a good place,” added the studio source. “And I think Mission: Impossible is going to be really good.”
