In some of the unimaginable Friday afternoon information dumps of all time, it appears like Tom Cruise is lastly beginning to work on a “Days of Thunder” sequel. The story was damaged by The Hollywood Reporter, which mentioned Cruise is at the moment in talks with Paramount surrounding manufacturing of a sequel to the 1990 NASCAR movie. After I received the push notification I let loose my longest yeah boy ever.
A lot of not-car-focused retailers are saying “Days of Thunder” is a little bit of a shocking selection for a sequel, given how the film solely made $157 million off a $60 million finances and had blended opinions, however I don’t assume it’s shocking — in reality, I’m shocked that this hasn’t come sooner. Cruise is clearly a automobile man and loves doing his personal stunts, so the considered a contemporary NASCAR film have to be tremendous attractive. As THR says, this isn’t the primary time a sequel concept has been floated, however after the success of “High Gun: Maverick” and films like “Ferrari” issues have heated up.
Having revived and modernized 1984’s High Gun with 2022’s blockbuster High Gun: Maverick, the actor believes he can work comparable magic along with his racing drama (which, like the unique High Gun, was a Paramount movie produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott). A Thunder revival has been floated earlier than — Paramount as soon as pitched a reboot of the title as a TV present for Paramount+, an concept that Cruise nixed.
“I don’t assume a [Days of Thunder sequel] is a horrible concept,” added the Paramount supply (the studio declined to remark for this story). “You might need mentioned that revisiting High Gun was a horrible concept. I wouldn’t low cost it.”
Racing movies have change into ranking modern these days, with the success of James Mangold’s 2019 image Ford v Ferrari, Michael Mann’s much less profitable 2023 racing drama Ferrari, and subsequent yr’s F1 — which stars Brad Pitt and is directed by Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski (who would seemingly be the best option to helm Thunder, however one imagines he wouldn’t be too eager on making back-to-back racing films). The glut of latest fast-cars-on-tracks tasks makes the prospect of resurrecting Thunder much more daunting (think about if Maverick had been launched after three different fighter pilot films), however a minimum of not one of the different titles particularly discover the world of NASCAR racing, which has a decidedly totally different Americana vibe in comparison with the extra European-based world of Le Mans and Method 1.
The most important issues for now are Cruise’s schedule. He’s at the moment engaged on the subsequent “Mission: Unattainable” movie, a brand new Iñárritu film, one other “High Gun” sequel, and he’s gonna be taking pictures a film in freakin’ area.
Key components embody the venture’s script (the studio is out to potential writers now) and the 62-year-old actor-producer’s packed schedule. Cruise is about to start out taking pictures The Revenant filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s mysterious subsequent movie for Warner Bros./Legendary, growing a Doug Liman film for Common that’s set in precise area, and he’s growing a sequel to Maverick (which Cruise and Paramount each think about a high precedence).
“He’s speaking [to Paramount] about High Gun and Days of Thunder,” says a studio insider accustomed to the discussions. “It’s going to be what comes collectively first by way of a script. It relies on the concept and, finally, the script.” (Cruise, sources say, has script approval over all of his tasks).
There are not any rumors or leads as to who will probably be writing the script or directing the movie; it’s probably too early for these choices to be made but. As THR factors out, it’s unlikely “Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski would do it regardless of being an apparent selection, as he’s nonetheless filming the Brad Pitt–starring Method 1 film. I’d like to see Christopher McQuarrie take it on, although the director of the latest M:I films is perhaps too targeted on that franchise, because the upcoming eighth film may not be the final one anymore. I’m certain Jerry Bruckheimer will probably be concerned regardless of who’s on the helm. After all, it might be superior to see the brand new “Days of Thunder” be written and directed by newcomers or folks we wouldn’t count on. Automobiles are for everybody, and motion films are too.
