John Breeden Tue, October 13, 2026 at 4:42 PM UTC · 2 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NASCAR is going all-out for the production of the "Days of Thunder" sequel, the hit racing movie that starred well-renowned actor Tom Cruise in 1990. In a recent report by The Wall Street Journal , NASCAR is planning on building over 80 cars for the movie. The sequel will be shot at actual NASCAR tracks.
"Days of Thunder 2" is slated to premiere in 2028. Cruise, who played the main character "Cole Trickle" in the original film, is set to again be the star of the racing movie. The 64-year-old actor will be joined by well-known actress Anne Hathaway, who will co-star in the sequel.
NASCAR is not messing around in their efforts to deliver a high-quality "Days of Thunder" sequel. By building over 80 cars for the movie and filming at exclusive NASCAR tracks, the sport's sanctioning body is putting tremendous money and time behind the project.
Cruise appeared at the Daytona International Speedway last August, the final race of the Cup Series regular season, to announce the news of the "Days of Thunder 2" production. NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell said Cruise spoke to him and a few other of the sport's officials about what to expect from "Days of Thunder 2."
"You better be ready for this. …People are going to tune in that have never seen a race," O'Donnell recalls Cruise saying to NASCAR officials.
The original "Days of Thunder" plot surrounded a rivalry between rookie "Cole Trickle" and veteran driver "Rowdy Bruns," played by actor Michael Rooker. Released on June 27, 1990, the movie grossed $157.9 million worldwide. The sequel is scheduled to be released on June 2, 2028.
In recent years, NASCAR has made a major push to put the sport on the big screen. One of the sport's major steps in garnering mainstream attention was "NASCAR: Full Speed." Available on Netflix, the docuseries highlighted the NASCAR playoffs through the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
The series followed some of the top Cup Series stars, including Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, and Ryan Blaney. "NASCAR: Full Speed" returned in 2026 on Prime Video for an 87-minute documentary focusing on the Daytona 500, the sport's most prestigious race.
NASCAR has also delved into YouTube projects, such as the short film titled "The San Diego Mini Movie: NASCAR vs Navy." The nearly half-hour film featured Cup Series drivers Blaney, Bell, Carson Hocevar and others to promote NASCAR's inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado.
Source: Sport
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