Aiken residents with an interest in NASCAR and Hollywood blockbusters will note that Tom Cruise has officially announced a sequel to the 1990 racing film, Days of Thunder. The announcement, made on Saturday, August 29, 2026, also confirmed that Anne Hathaway will join the cast. The stars shared the news at an empty Daytona International Speedway, featuring a lime green NASCAR with a Summer 2028 release date.
Paramount provided a synopsis, stating that Tom Cruise will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle. Anne Hathaway is set to play a team owner and engineer in the new film. Cruise will also produce the movie alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper. Jonathan Levine is slated to direct, working from a script by Will Staples.
While rumors of the film being fast-tracked have circulated, shooting will not commence immediately. Hathaway, who is pregnant, quipped during the announcement video that filming would begin after she has her baby. The sequel is planned for an IMAX release and will be exclusively shown in theaters on June 2, 2028. It will be available in formats including Dolby Cinema and 4DX.
This marks the second time Cruise has revisited an iconic film franchise decades later. Top Gun: Maverick was released in 2022, 36 years after the original 1986 film. Similarly, 38 years will have passed between the original Days of Thunder and its sequel. In addition to the upcoming Digger and the Days of Thunder sequel, Cruise is also returning to his Maverick role for a third Top Gun film.
