Tom Cruise Teases Cole Trickle’s NASCAR Comeback in DAYS OF THUNDER 2
Cole Trickle is getting back behind the wheel, and Tom Cruise sounds ready to put his foot on the gas again.
After years of talk and speculation, Days of Thunder 2 is officially moving forward, with Cruise and Anne Hathaway confirming the sequel last month. Paramount has set the film for a June 2, 2028 theatrical release, so fans still have a bit of a wait before Cole returns to the NASCAR world.
The later date will also give Hathaway time following the birth of her third child before production gets rolling.
Before Cruise and Hathaway made their August video announcement, Jonathan Levine had already signed on to direct the sequel in July. NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon had teased that a follow-up was being discussed roughly a year earlier, along with producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Now Cruise has offered a few more details about what they have planned. During a recent appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show, Cruise made it clear that he believes they've found the right approach to bringing Cole Trickle back.
"We're going for it, and I feel like we really got something," Cruise said.
Cruise also revealed some interesting information about Hathaway's role. She'll play the owner and engineer of the race car Cole drives, giving her character a major place within the racing side of the story.
Plot details remain under wraps, but Cruise explained that he's approaching the NASCAR sequel with the same obsession for authenticity and technical knowledge that he brought to his aviation films.
"I found a way in, technically- even with the aviation, when we tell those stories, I spent years training in aerobatics, training in helicopters, jets, airplanes, and studying aerial photography and creating aerial photography.
“So we're creating stories [with the premise] of what can I tell with the motion? Those are the things that I'm looking at with NASCAR, with these cars. I love the culture; it's a real cultural, immersive story that's going to have racing and we're going to be creating knowledge as we go along."
That certainly sounds like Cruise plans on getting heavily involved with the actual racing component of the movie, which isn’t surprising. McAfee pushed him on the biggest question, asking whether Cole Trickle himself will actually be driving again.
Cruise gave him a very clear answer. "Oh, he's driving it," Cruise said. "Here's the thing, If I'm making a movie about airplanes, I'm flying."
The original Days of Thunder introduced Cole as a gifted but inexperienced open-wheel racer recruited by team owner Tim Daland, played by Randy Quaid, to compete in NASCAR.
Cole is paired with veteran crew chief Harry Hogge, played by Robert Duvall, who has the unenviable job of turning his aggressive young driver into someone capable of actually mastering stock car racing.
Cole's attitude and driving style eventually put him into a fierce rivalry with Rowdy Burns, played by Michael Rooker. Their feud leads to a major crash that sidelines both drivers.
While recovering, Cole develops a relationship with neurosurgeon Dr. Claire Lewicki, played by Nicole Kidman, while also being forced to deal with his own fears and insecurities.
His return becomes even more complicated when ambitious replacement driver Russ Wheeler, played by Cary Elwes, enters the picture.
After Rowdy's injuries force him to retire, he asks Cole to drive his car in the Daytona 500. With Harry once again guiding him, Cole gets his shot at redemption on NASCAR's biggest stage.
More than three decades later, it'll be interesting to see what kind of racer Cole has become and why he's climbing back into a car.
Cruise is clearly interested in finding new ways to capture the speed, machinery, culture, and physical experience of NASCAR on the big screen.
Cruise will next appear in Digger, which arrives in theaters October 2. His growing slate also includes Days of Thunder 2, the Christopher McQuarrie-directed Broadsword, and a third Top Gun movie.
Days of Thunder 2 races into theaters June 2, 2028.