NASCAR did it before it was cool. Drive to Survive and F1: The Movie might be internet sensations right now. But NASCAR was already winning the public over with authentic racing cinema since the 90s. Released back in 1990, Days of Thunder is a beloved movie that still lives in the hearts of the NASCAR community. Then came Disney Pixar’s Cars, and just like that popularity of NASCAR soared across US borders.

But somewhere in between the transition from the 2000s to the age of the internet and social media, NASCAR didn’t get the exposure it needed. Not even through Hollywood movies, but finally it seems like things are falling in place. And once again, Tom Cruise is expected to be at the center of this revival.

While there are no confirmations from the production house or the writer, multiple reports hint at a sequel. Back in 2023, Giant Freakin Robot was the first one to break the news. Later on, it was also rumored that Tom Cruise was talking to Paramount about the same. Even NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell was on board with the idea.

For now, reports indicate that both Cruise and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are discussing a sequel to the movie. Not only that, there are indications that the movie’s writer might be visiting multiple NASCAR races to take notes. Will Staples, who is known for his work in Without Remorse, The Right Stuff, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, is hinted at as the writer behind the movie.

According to Adam Stern on X, “A Hollywood film writer has been meeting with some NASCAR teams and drivers to help develop a plot for a “Days of Thunder” sequel, according to people familiar with the matter, in one of the most tangible signs yet the film is being seriously pursued.”

At that time, Tom Cruise and his team worked with the France family and Hendrick Motorsports to make the movie as realistic as possible. What’s more amazing is that the production house behind the movie was Jerry Bruckheimer Films. The same ones that produced F1. 

The original movie surpassed $157.9M on a budget of $60M at that time. The movie included scenes from Bristol, Rockingham, Darlington, and Charlotte. In more ways than one, Days of Thunder set the benchmark for F1.

Days of Thunder‘s sequel is going to face a massive obstacle if it ever goes into production. While it has an amazing following, it will face off against F1‘s massive box office collection of $603M. Not only that, but even Lewis Hamilton and Bruckheimer have confirmed the plans for its sequel.

The recent surge in popularity of racing has attracted Hollywood’s attention to it. Netflix’s Drive to Survive is the prime example of the growing audience towards the racing genre. With a Days of Thunder sequel, Hollywood wants to capitalize on the momentum.

Only recently, NASCAR also decided to release a movie of its own, focusing on one of the greatest stars in the sport.

How did NASCAR’s latest documentary fare in public?

NASCAR released We’ve Lost Dale Earnhardt: 25 Years Later on February 12 this year. The movie was a documentary encapsulating the emotions of multiple NASCAR drivers in the form of an interview. It was supposed to commemorate the death anniversary of Dale Earnhardt while showing the public some hidden snippets from the drivers who raced against him.

The likes of Kurt Busch and Rusty Wallace made an appearance as his old competitors. Meanwhile, drivers like Ryan Blaney were also featured in the documentary to reveal the current generation’s emotions about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR.

Initially, the documentary earned a lot of backlash from the public. FOX and NASCAR were accused of overusing Dale Earnhardt’s name for the sake of profit.

While it has a solid 8.8 rating on IMDb, it fails to capture the attention of racing fans. Most of them are of the opinion that NASCAR’s latest release was a massive failure. Especially due to the repeated formula of trying to glorify Dale Earnhardt on grounds of his death.

The fans are incredibly frustrated with the same and want NASCAR to move on. As such, a new Days of Thunder sequel might be exactly what the sport needs.