It's official: Cole Trickle is back!
Earlier this weekend, Tom Cruise officially confirmed his next film, Days of Thunder 2—a sequel to his 1990 racing classic—and revealed that the long-awaited action movie will hit theaters on June 2, 2028.
In a fun announcement video, he also revealed that Oscar winner Anne Hathaway (The Odyssey; The Devil Wears Prada; The End of Oak Street) has joined the cast as a team owner and engineer who will presumably recruit Cruise's Trickle to her team. Further plot details are currently under wraps, but filming likely won't begin for a few more months as Hathaway is currently pregnant with her third child.
Jonathan Levine (Long Shot; Warm Bodies; Mr. Irrelevant) has been tapped to direct, with a screenplay by Will Staples (Without Remorse; Shooter; The Right Stuff). Cruise is also attached to produce alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.
Following the announcement, Cruise made a surprise appearance at the Daytona International Speedway during the NASCAR Cup Series drivers' meeting and teased what he hopes to achieve with the follow-up: "It's not just about racing. It's about the community and the people here. There's something very special about racers and the whole racing community. It's a culture, and I was very proud to be able to reflect that in the first Days of Thunder, and I am honored to share it with the world. That's basically what we're going to really go for with this one."
While Cruise had been rumored for a number of projects over the past year, the Days sequel picked up serious steam in recent months and clearly piqued his interest enough to choose it over his other options. However, with a 2028 release date locked in, it remains to be seen whether he can squeeze in another film for 2027.
Hathaway is an exciting addition to the cast and is coming off a massive summer where she starred in four films: Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey, and The End of Oak Street. She also has the psychological thriller Verity arriving in theaters this October, where it will coincidentally open opposite Cruise's Digger.
The late Tony Scott directed the original Days of Thunder, which grossed over $157.9 million worldwide and starred Cruise alongside Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Nicole Kidman, and Cary Elwes.
Days of Thunder 2 races into theaters on June 2, 2028!
Check out the official announcement below:
Digg or die. DIGGER. Only in theaters October 2. #DiggerMovie