Days of Thunder 2 Joins the Pile of Nostalgia Cash-Grabs
Tom Cruise isn't done raiding his own back catalog. After Top Gun: Maverick pulled in nearly $1.5 billion, it looks like Days of Thunder is next on the legacy sequel assembly line.
According to NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, Cruise casually dropped the bomb at the Mission: Impossible premiere. First words out of his mouth: "We're doing Days of Thunder 2."
No press release. No official announcement. Just Cruise being Cruise and dropping sequel news like he's ordering a sandwich.
Gordon, now a key figure at Hendrick Motorsports — the NASCAR team that played a big part in the original film — told Road & Track that he's 100% on board. Rick Hendrick is on board too. And honestly, after what Days of Thunder did for NASCAR in the '90s, they're hoping lightning strikes twice.
"You look at things that can help grow the sport. Look what Days of Thunder did for NASCAR in the '90s. I think it could very easily do the same if we were able to do this again."
Whether this is Cruise just spitballing or an actual production quietly revving its engine, it makes sense. The market for big-budget racing films is heating up again. Brad Pitt's F1 movie — backed by Apple and some of the Top Gun: Maverick team — is set to drop soon, with early buzz already looking strong. NASCAR doesn't want to get lapped.
As Gordon put it, Formula 1's popularity has exploded thanks to Liberty Media and Netflix's Drive to Survive, but NASCAR's still got history, stars, and a loyal fanbase — just waiting for the right movie to put it back on the pop culture map.
"We had several drivers exit the sport that were big names… Since then, we've been building new stars. And it just takes time, but I think the time is right."
So, yeah. In a few years, you might hear thunder at the box office again. Let's just hope Days of Thunder 2 doesn't take the Caddyshack II route — and that Cruise doesn't try to outrun a fighter jet in a stock car. Then again, would you be surprised?