Rumors of a sequel to the 1990 racing film Days of Thunder have circulated for years, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is weighing in on the possibility of a return to the big screen for Cole Trickle.
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"I've absolutely talked to Tom (Cruise) about it because I want him to do the project, and we want to be a part of it if it were to happen," Gordon told media members after last weekend's Daytona 500. "He seems to like to tease it, so I don't know. We'll see what happens. If that doesn't happen, I feel pretty confident there's a project out there that will get NASCAR back on the big screen, if not just a really cool docuseries or something beyond even what we're already seeing right now."
In November 2024, The Hollywood Reporter released an exclusive report stating that Cruise was eyeing a sequel to Days of Thunder in partnership with Paramount. The outlet reported that the studio had begun reaching out to potential writers. However, no significant updates have emerged since that time.
Gordon Revving Up 'Thunder' Engine
The Sports Business Journal reported in January that NASCAR remained interested in participating in a potential Days of Thunder follow-up. Gordon, however, expressed skepticism about how the production could replicate the authenticity of the original film's racing sequences, especially with advances in technology.
"Hendrick Motorsports being a part of that project, hard to imagine how you pull that off today because they actually had race cars with cameras in the race, and the cameras were big," Gordon said. "Cameras have gotten a lot smaller, so maybe you could pull it off, but how do you do it and make it realistic and really authentic?"
The original Days of Thunder included numerous racing sequences filmed during actual NASCAR events, with cameras mounted on the cars to capture the fast-paced action. Hendrick Motorsports played a key role in the film's production, building and repairing the race cars used in those scenes. The City Chevrolet sponsor on the race car driven by Tom Cruise's character, Cole Trickle, was a nod to Rick Hendrick's car dealership.
While Gordon is unsure whether Cruise will revisit the role of Trickle, he remains confident that Hendrick Motorsports would be ready to jump on board should the project move forward.
