Anne Hathaway is joining Tom Cruise for the long-awaited Days of Thunder follow-up, with Paramount setting the NASCAR sequel for a June 2028 theatrical release.
August 29, 2026: Anne Hathaway is getting behind the wheel alongside Tom Cruise. The Oscar-winning actress has officially joined Cruise in Paramount’s upcoming follow-up to the 1990 racing drama Days of Thunder, with the studio setting the film for a June 2, 2028 theatrical release.
Cruise announced Hathaway’s casting Saturday by sharing a promotional image of the pair on a NASCAR track alongside the Days of Thunder title and the summer 2028 release window. The project marks a major new chapter for Cruise’s racing franchise nearly four decades after the original film hit theaters.
Anne Hathaway Joins Tom Cruise for Days of Thunder
Hathaway will star opposite Cruise in the new Days of Thunder movie, taking on a role that reportedly puts her on the racing side of the story.
According to Variety’s report, Hathaway will play a racecar team owner and engineer, while Cruise will return as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle, the character he originated in the 1990 film.
Plot details remain largely under wraps, but the casting gives the long-awaited sequel a major new co-lead and brings together two of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Paramount Sets June 2028 Release Date
The sequel is now scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 2, 2028.
The film is being developed as a theatrical event and is expected to be shot for IMAX, with additional premium formats including Dolby Cinema and 4DX planned for its release.
The release will come almost 40 years after the original Days of Thunder, which debuted in June 1990.
That lengthy gap places the project in a similar category to Cruise’s successful return to the Top Gun franchise with Top Gun: Maverick, although the new movie will introduce a different chapter of the NASCAR story.
Tom Cruise Returns as Cole Trickle
Cruise will once again play Cole Trickle, the ambitious NASCAR driver at the center of the original movie.
In the 1990 film, Trickle is recruited to a new racing team by retired racing legend Harry Hogge, played by Robert Duvall. The story follows Trickle as he attempts to establish himself in the competitive world of stock-car racing.
Cruise is also producing the new movie alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.
Bruckheimer, who produced the original Days of Thunder, is therefore returning for the new installment, creating a direct connection between the two films.
Jonathan Levine Is Directing
Jonathan Levine is attached to direct the sequel from a screenplay by Will Staples.
Levine is known for films including Warm Bodies and Long Shot, as well as his television work. He also directed episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers, which starred Nicole Kidman.
The director’s involvement was reported in July, when the project was still moving through development. At that point, Cruise was already attached to return as Cole Trickle, while production was tentatively expected to begin in early 2027.
With Hathaway now officially joining the cast and a release date in place, the sequel has taken another major step toward production.
What Is the New Days of Thunder Movie About?
Specific plot details have not yet been revealed.
The original movie centered on Cole Trickle’s rise through NASCAR, with his career complicated by competition on the track and his relationship with Dr. Claire Lewicki, played by Nicole Kidman.
The new movie is expected to bring Trickle back into the modern racing world, although the exact circumstances surrounding his return have not been announced.
Hathaway’s character as a racecar team owner and engineer suggests that the new story could explore the modern business and technical side of NASCAR alongside Cruise’s returning driver.
For now, Paramount is keeping the story details closely guarded.
The Original Days of Thunder Remains a Racing Classic
The original Days of Thunder was directed by Tony Scott and released by Paramount in 1990.
The film starred Cruise alongside Duvall, Kidman, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. It earned approximately $157.7 million worldwide against a reported $60 million production budget.
Although its initial critical reception was mixed, the movie developed a strong following among NASCAR fans over the years.
The film also became personally significant for Cruise and Kidman, who met while working on the movie and later married.
How Top Gun: Maverick Helped Set the Stage
The new Days of Thunder project arrives after Cruise demonstrated the commercial potential of returning to one of his classic roles.
Top Gun: Maverick, released in 2022, brought Cruise back as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell more than three decades after the original Top Gun. The sequel became a massive global hit, earning nearly $1.5 billion worldwide.
The success helped establish that audiences were willing to return to Cruise’s older franchises when they were given a large-scale theatrical treatment.
Days of Thunder is now following that path, with Cruise returning to another iconic character from his earlier career.
Anne Hathaway Is Having a Major 2026
The Days of Thunder casting also adds another major project to what has already been a busy year for Hathaway.
The actress has appeared in several major productions in 2026, including The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Odyssey, and she is also attached to other upcoming projects.
Her addition to the Days of Thunder sequel gives the project another major star with significant box-office appeal.
It also marks an interesting pairing, bringing Hathaway’s contemporary Hollywood presence together with Cruise’s long-established action-star persona.
When Will Days of Thunder Be Released?
Paramount has scheduled the new Days of Thunder movie for June 2, 2028.
The film is expected to be released exclusively in theaters, including IMAX and other premium formats.
Production is expected to move forward ahead of the 2028 release, although a specific filming start date has not been officially announced.
For fans of the original, the wait is still nearly two years—but the project now has its cast, director, returning star and official release date.
HOLR has the latest news on Days of Thunder, including updates on Anne Hathaway, Tom Cruise and the highly anticipated NASCAR sequel.
FAQs
Is Anne Hathaway joining the Days of Thunder sequel?
Yes. Anne Hathaway will star opposite Tom Cruise in Paramount’s upcoming follow-up to the 1990 racing film. She is set to play a racecar team owner and engineer.
Will Tom Cruise return for Days of Thunder?
Yes. Tom Cruise will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle. He is also producing the new film.
When will the new Days of Thunder movie be released?
Paramount has scheduled the sequel for June 2, 2028.
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Published by HOLR Magazine
Image Credit: deadline.com