Anne Hathaway joins Tom Cruise in ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel

Anne Hathaway will star opposite Tom Cruise in Paramount Pictures’ sequel to “Days of Thunder”, with the studio setting a June 2, 2028 theatrical release for the long-awaited follow-up to Tony Scott’s 1990 racing drama. Variety reported the casting exclusively on Sunday.

Cruise will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, while Hathaway will play a racecar team owner and engineer. Jonathan Levine, whose credits include “50/50” and “Long Shot”, is directing the sequel, with Cruise producing alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.

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The film is planned for IMAX and will receive an exclusive theatrical release, including formats such as Dolby Cinema and 4DX. Cruise also shared a promotional image of himself with Hathaway at a NASCAR track following the casting announcement.

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The original “Days of Thunder”, released in 1990, followed Trickle after he was recruited to drive for a new NASCAR team by retired racing champion Harry Hogge, played by Robert Duvall. The film also starred Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid and John C. Reilly, with Tony Scott directing.

The sequel arrives nearly four decades after the original and marks another major franchise project for Cruise following the conclusion of the “Mission: Impossible” series. He is also set to return for another “Top Gun” film.

Before “Days of Thunder”, Cruise will appear in “Digger”, the new film from Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Warner Bros. Pictures has scheduled the film for October 2, 2026.

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Hathaway has also had a busy 2026. Her releases this year include David Lowery’s “Mother Mary”, David Robert Mitchell’s “The End of Oak Street” and the sequel “The Devil Wears Prada 2”. “The End of Oak Street”, which also stars Ewan McGregor, opened in August and was released by Warner Bros. Pictures.

She will next appear in “Verity”, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s thriller, alongside Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. Directed by Michael Showalter, the film is scheduled for release on October 2, 2026.