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NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, Steve O’Donnell, has opened up on the possibility of a ‘Days of Thunder’ sequel.
This comes as fans of the original 1990 film, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, speculate about the potential of revisiting the speed-fueled world that boosted NASCAR’s popularity.
Released at the turn of the decade, ‘Days of Thunder’ caught some critics off guard with mixed reviews, but its influence was palpable as NASCAR experienced a surge in viewership and engagement in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The 1990 film cemented its place in pop culture by bringing the thrill of NASCAR to the big screen. Directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, ‘Days of Thunder’ followed Cole Trickle, played by Tom Cruise.
Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
Fast forward to 2024, discussions surrounding a potential sequel have been initiated. Paramount Pictures is reportedly in talks with Cruise, exploring the possibility of him reprising his role as Cole Trickle.
There is speculation that the sequel could draw parallels with the successful revival of another iconic Cruise film, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, perhaps following an older, wiser Cole mentoring a fresh face in the competitive world of NASCAR. The studio had previously considered a TV reboot, but plans were shelved in favor of focusing on a movie sequel.
Speaking about the rumors of the sequel, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell explained to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal:
“It would be great to see it happen, but that’s as far as any discussions have gone.”
.@NASCAR remains interested in participating in a “Days of Thunder” sequel but says it doesn’t have anything official to announce following November reports about the topic.
🗨Steve O’Donnell: “It would be great to see it happen, but that’s as far as any discussions have gone.” pic.twitter.com/IFnfp8ANni
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) January 3, 2025
O’Donnell has also recently addressed the calls from fans and NASCAR insiders to introduce a change to the playoff format. He explained, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports, that they would only consider a change if they feel it would be in the best interest of the sport:
“What I would say is that we’ll have an industry working group that will take a look and is already taking a look at the playoffs. The great thing about our system is that this evolved through discussions with the industry- everyone had an input into the product and the format that you see today and that will continue.
“We’ll look at different ideas, and if we can make tweaks to enhance it we certainly will do that, but we’re not going to do it unless we feel like it’s in the best interest of the sport and really drives even more engagement from our fans.”
