Jonathan Levine in talks to direct Days of Thunder sequel
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Paramount is moving ahead with a sequel to its 1990 racing drama "Days of Thunder", with Jonathan Levine ("50/50", "Warm Bodies") in negotiations to direct and Tom Cruise returning to star as driver Cole Trickle. Cruise will also produce the film alongside Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original, continuing a pattern of the star reviving classic roles for the studio after the success of "Top Gun: Maverick".
Will Staples wrote the sequel's script, and talks over Cruise reprising the role first emerged in November 2024. The original "Days of Thunder", directed by the late Tony Scott, also holds personal significance as the film where Cruise met Nicole Kidman, to whom he was later married for 11 years. Levine has an existing relationship with Paramount, which is releasing his film "Mr. Irrelevant" on Christmas Day, and he has recently directed episodes of "Nine Perfect Strangers"; Cruise's next release is "Digger" with Warner Bros. on 2 October.
- Jonathan Levine in talks to direct "Days of Thunder 2" for Paramount
- Tom Cruise returns as Cole Trickle and co-produces with Jerry Bruckheimer
- Follows Cruise's revival of classic roles, as with "Top Gun: Maverick"
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Paramount is developing a follow-up to Days of Thunder, the 1990 motor racing drama starring Tom Cruise as driver Cole Trickle. Cruise is expected to return to the role and is also producing the new film, alongside Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original. Director Jonathan Levine, known for his television work including Nine Perfect Strangers, is now in talks to lead the sequel, with a script already written by Will Staples.
The film fits a pattern in Cruise's recent career of returning to earlier hit franchises decades after the originals. The most prominent example is Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, a sequel to his 1986 film that became a major box office and awards success. Days of Thunder 2 is being framed in similar terms, as a legacy sequel built around a returning star and long-established characters.
More coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — ‘Days of Thunder 2’: Jonathan Levine in Talks to Direct Tom Cruise in Paramount’s Racing Sequel (Exclusive)
- Deadline — Jonathan Levine In Talks To Direct Paramount’s Tom Cruise ‘Days Of Thunder’ Sequel
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Originally published by Variety as “‘Days of Thunder 2’: Jonathan Levine in Talks to Direct Tom Cruise in Paramount Sequel”.