For the youngsters, here’s a warning: Hollywood has ALWAYS bet on profiting from nostalgia and when something works, it’s time to repeat, repeat and repeat. Remakes, tributes, inspirations, call it what you will, originality has never exactly been the strong point in the mecca of cinema. Of course, we will always mention the new, but, in general, it is surrounded by repeats. Therefore, knowing that after reviving Top Gun and doing more than well, it was only a matter of time before Tom Cruise looked at another project to revive it: Days of Thunder.

The 1990 production, at the time, was already nicknamed the “top gun of the racetracks”, but it didn’t come close to the box office or the unanimity of the previous franchise. Certainly, in the biography of the actor and actress Nicole Kidman, there are some facts, such as 1) it was her first American film and 2) it was the film in which they met, fell in love, and got married.

The “need for speed” so classic in Maverick’s speech in Top Gun has always been a reality in the life of the adrenaline-addicted star. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cruise is developing a sequel to Days of Thunder, one of the several films he starred in under the direction of the late Tony Scott. According to the article, talks are advanced with Paramount (the studio with which the actor had a long partnership) and it would be the film he would star in after releasing the second part of Mission: Impossible in 2025.

There is much to be surprised about the choice, as well as to find logical. In 1990, Days of Thunder was considered a ‘failure’, especially because it was in the shadow of everything Top Gun had, including the fact that it only grossed around 157 million dollars (it cost 60). Interestingly, as Cruise was averse to returning to the Top Gun universe for many decades, Days of Thunder was the option to do the same in another setting and give him the dual opportunity of participating in NASCAR (something he grew to love under the mentorship of Paul Newman), being in a comfort zone and still creating a new character.

Over the years, just as he did with Top Gun, Tom Cruise refused to consider a sequel to Days of Thunder, whose ‘revival’ as a TV series was discussed and shelved. Thirty-four years later, the actor’s business vision has changed radically.

No one doubts that the script, which still has no announced author, will have to put Cole Trickle, the driver played by Cruise, in the role of mentor and coach, after all, TODAY the actor is 62 years old. By the time filming is complete, he will be closer to 70 than he is today. Although he is healthy and in shape, it is more than three decades, right? In addition, he is about to start filming with Alejandro G. Iñárritu, a project that is shrouded in mystery for Warner, in addition to working on the film he wants to film in Space (yes, outside of Earth), as well as another sequel to Maverick. According to THR, this is the highest-priority film for him. Time is a superhuman challenge for those who live at the speed of light.

Days of Thunder didn’t return to the table just because Top Gun: Maverick was what it was. Racing films have once again become the space for alpha male stars. In 2019, James Mangold was pleased with racing films have become trendy in terms of ratings lately, with the success of the film Ford v Ferrari, Michael Mann made the Ferrari biopic in 2023, and most importantly: Brad Pitt is being directed by Tom Cruise‘s partner, Joseph Kosinski, in the world of Formula 1. How can you leave Cruise out of the environment and the subject where he shines brightest than all of them together?

Everyone can agree that it’s unlikely we’ll see Nicole Kidman even make a cameo as Dr. Claire Lewicki, especially after Tom dropped Kelly McGillis‘ character and killed off Meg Ryan in Top Gun: Maverick. The couple’s divorce, even though it’s been almost 25 years, hasn’t made the rounds in the gossip world, but it clearly hasn’t left them friends. Besides, being the most sought-after and prestigious actress in Hollywood right now, Nicole doesn’t need to be in a sequel to a film that wasn’t successful and didn’t demand much acting technique from her. On the other hand, just like she did with Val Kilmer, it would be right to bring Robert Duvall back for a few scenes.

If Kosinski doesn’t want to take on Days of Thunder, perhaps Tom Cruise could make a big splash if he casts – and gets along with – one of the film’s biggest fans, none other than Quentin Tarantino. The director has always declared it his “favorite” racing film. “Yeah, yeah, you laugh, but seriously, I’m a big fan. Sure, it had a big budget, big stars, and a great director in Tony Scott, but it had the fun of those early [American International Pictures] racing movies. I just don’t think [the genre] works if you take it too seriously,” he said in 2013.

In fact, I doubt Tom Cruise won’t cast Christopher McQuarrie, who is with him in the Mission Impossible franchise, to face this challenge. Unless they already want a vacation from each other. Or do they?

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