Wow, Tom Cruise is actually dead serious about making “Days of Thunder 2” — so much so that THR is now reporting it will be his next film, with production revving up to begin, possibly as early as this fall.
Furthermore, Jonathan Levine has been tapped to direct, in what is a “strong vote of confidence,” as his next film, “Mr. Irrelevant,” continues to deliver incredible test scores and is now primed for a wide Christmas Day release.
No plot details for the sequel, and for obvious reasons, Nicole Kidman will likely not be back as Cruise’s love interest, but the script is penned by Will Staples, who has written video games (”Call of Duty 3: Modern Warfare”) and co-wrote the Michael B. Jordan action movie “Without Remorse.”
Cruise continues his partnership with David Ellison, who backed “Top Gun: Maverick” and the last few ‘Mission: Impossible’ movies. Paramount revisiting 1990 Nascar-set “Days of Thunder” is quite the risk. It’s a rather odd idea for a sequel, isn’t it? The film was critically panned, grossed $157M globally, and hasn’t necessarily gained a large following this generation — although NASCAR fans might really like it? Then again, look at what Cruise did with “Top Gun: Maverick.” Anything is possible, and I bet the actor believes lightning can strike twice again for him with another legacy sequel.
“Days of Thunder” tackled the rivarly between hotshot rookie Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and veteran racer Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker). When both of them are seriously injured in competition, the former bitter rivals become close friends.
The late Tony Scott directed the 1990 film.
Levine has a reliable track record—in 2011, he directed the well-reviewed stoner-cancer dramedy “50/50” and the holiday stoner comedy “The Night Before,” which has quietly become a rewatch favorite during the Christmas season. He also helmed the hit comedy “Long Shot,” which starred Charlize Theron alongside Seth Rogen. “Warm Bodies,” his well-received 2013 zombie comedy, was also a hit at the box office ($118M).
As mentioned, Levine, who hasn’t released a film in over seven years, has “Mr. Irrelevant” coming in December, and it’s not hard to put two and two together, and make the claim that he got the ‘Days of Thunder’ gig because of how gonzo confident Ellison is about “Mr. Irrelevant.”
“Primetime” doesn’t really go beyond being a good movie. For all of its outrageous entertainment value, it ultimately feels like a stylishly conceived riff on a ridiculous show and its even more ridiculous host.