Hathaway to Play Team Owner and Engineer in Cruise's Days of Thunder Return
Anne Hathaway has been cast opposite Tom Cruise in the sequel to the 1990 racing film Days of Thunder, with a release set for June 2, 2028. She will portray a team owner and engineer, while Cruise reprises his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle. The film will be directed by Jonathan Levine from a script by Will Staples, and will be shot for IMAX and other premium formats.
The sequel brings back producer Jerry Bruckheimer alongside Tommy Harper, with Jonathan Levine directing from Will Staples' script. Hathaway's character will be a team owner and engineer, a notable shift from the original film's focus on Cruise's Cole Trickle. The production is slated for IMAX, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema release.
Hathaway announced she will give birth before filming begins, and her recent credits include Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Cruise's upcoming project is Alejandro G. Iñárritu's apocalyptic comedy Digger. The original Days of Thunder was previously ranked among the 15 best racing movies by IGN.
The pairing of Cruise with an Oscar-winning actress like Hathaway could broaden the sequel's appeal beyond the original's core racing audience. The June 2028 release date and premium format rollout suggest Paramount sees this as a major tentpole, potentially drawing both nostalgic viewers and younger audiences unfamiliar with the 1990 original. The film may also reinforce the trend of reviving 1980s-90s properties with modern production values.