Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies) is in talks to direct Paramount’s Days of Thunder sequel with returning star Tom Cruise.
Cruise will also produce the film alongside Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original 1990 racing drama. Will Staples wrote the script for the sequel.
“Days of Thunder” was directed by the late Tony Scott and stars Cruise as Cole Trickle, a cantankerous race car driver who is recruited to a new NASCAR team by a retired race car legend played by Robert Duvall. Cruise met Nicole Kidman, to whom he was married for 11 years, on set.
In November 2024, news broke that Cruise was in talks to reprise his role in the sequel. This isn’t Cruise’s first time reprising a classic role at Paramount. Cruise and the studio are teaming up to produce the long-awaited Top Gun sequel in 2022. The film was a huge success for Paramount, grossing just under $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office. It was also nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and won Best Sound.
Levine also has a history with the studio, with Paramount set to release his latest film, “Mr. Irrelevant,” on Christmas. David Corenswet plays John Tuggle, “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 1983 draft, the last player selected in the final round by the New York Giants, and who had a lasting impact on the team and his teammates. In addition to his extensive film work directing comedies such as “Long Shot” and “The Night Before,” Levine recently directed an episode of “Nine Perfect Strangers,” starring Kidman.
Cruise’s next film is Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s dark comedy Digger, which Warner Bros. will release on October 2nd.
The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the development update.
