Randy Quaid has made it clear that he would have preferred a very different reunion for the next Days of Thunder movie. After Anne Hathaway was announced as Tom Cruise’s co-lead in Paramount’s upcoming sequel, the actor who played Tim Daland in the 1990 racing drama took to X to argue that Nicole Kidman should have returned instead.
Quaid’s comments quickly turned the casting announcement into a fresh conversation around the sequel. He specifically questioned Hathaway’s place in the movie and argued that bringing Kidman back would make more sense for audiences who remember the original. His remarks were outspoken, including comments about Hathaway’s politics and her pregnancy, rather than simply focusing on the creative direction of the new film.
“We need Nicole [Kidman] back,” Quaid wrote on X Saturday. “Don’t be a pussy, [Tom Cruise]. You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking. Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant.”
The comments came only a day after news broke that Hathaway had joined Cruise for the next chapter of the racing franchise. Paramount has scheduled the sequel for June 2, 2028, with the movie planned for an IMAX release and a theatrical rollout that will also include Dolby Cinema and 4DX.
Randy Quaid Makes His Casting Preference Clear
Quaid did not stop with his initial post. In a second message, he described Hathaway as a “leftist, woke, horrible choice” for what he characterized as a NASCAR audience that is “MAGA.” He then returned to his main argument, saying that the romantic role opposite Cruise should go to Kidman and suggesting that such a decision would better connect the sequel with the original film.
The actor also recalled the frantic production schedule behind the first Days of Thunder. According to Quaid, there was significant pressure to finish the 1990 movie, with editors working in shifts and even sleeping in the cutting room. He compared that experience with the current sequel and questioned whether the new movie could be heading toward a disappointing result.
Quaid has a direct connection to the franchise. In the original movie, he played Tim Daland, the owner of the racing team who gives Cruise’s Cole Trickle an opportunity to compete at NASCAR’s top level. Kidman, meanwhile, played Dr. Claire Lewicki, who became Cole’s romantic partner during the story.
Anne Hathaway Has a Different Role This Time
Hathaway’s casting also suggests that Paramount is not simply trying to recreate the original movie with younger versions of its characters. According to the casting details, Hathaway will play a racecar team owner and engineer, putting her character in a position that is closely connected to the racing world rather than functioning solely as a romantic lead. Jonathan Levine is directing the sequel, while Cruise is producing with Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.
That distinction could become important once more details about the story emerge. The original Days of Thunder centered on Cole Trickle as an ambitious stock-car driver trying to establish himself at the highest level of racing, with Robert Duvall’s Harry Hogge serving as an important figure in his career. The new film is expected to bring Cruise back as Cole, but Paramount has kept much of the plot under wraps so far.
Cruise had already indicated that another Days of Thunder story was being discussed before the sequel officially moved forward. In 2025, he said he and his team were considering different possibilities for both a new Days of Thunder and another Top Gun movie. At the time, Cruise stressed that developing the right story could take years, a comment that now looks particularly relevant given that the sequel is finally moving toward a 2028 release.
The project is also arriving at an interesting point in Cruise’s career. With the Mission: Impossible series winding down, the actor is turning toward other established properties while continuing to develop original projects. The Days of Thunder follow-up therefore gives Cruise another opportunity to revisit a character from his earlier career while building a large-scale theatrical event around racing.
Why Nicole Kidman Matters to the Original
For fans of the 1990 movie, Kidman is not simply another familiar face from Cruise’s past. Claire Lewicki was an important part of Cole’s personal storyline, and Kidman’s presence is inseparable from the identity of the original film. Her return would therefore carry obvious nostalgic value, although it is still unclear whether the sequel’s story even has a role that would require Claire to appear.
The original Days of Thunder arrived in theaters on June 29, 1990, with Tony Scott directing and Jerry Bruckheimer producing. Alongside Cruise, Kidman, Quaid and Duvall, the cast included Cary Elwes and John C. Reilly. The movie ultimately earned about $157.9 million worldwide, including roughly $82.7 million domestically, according to Box Office Mojo.
Those numbers also help explain why Paramount sees value in returning to the property nearly four decades later. The first movie may not have reached the cultural heights of Top Gun, but it established a recognizable Cruise character and delivered a sizable theatrical run for its era. The sequel now has the benefit of modern IMAX presentation, Cruise’s current blockbuster profile and decades of nostalgia surrounding the original.
For now, though, there is no confirmation that Kidman will appear. The sequel’s confirmed casting puts Hathaway alongside Cruise, and her character’s position as a team owner and engineer gives the filmmakers room to take the story in a different direction. Whether longtime viewers embrace that approach will likely depend on how much the new film honors the spirit of the original without simply trying to reproduce it.
Days of Thunder Sequel: 5 Key Questions
Who is Anne Hathaway playing in the new Days of Thunder?
Anne Hathaway is set to play a racecar team owner and engineer opposite Tom Cruise. The character’s exact connection to Cruise’s Cole Trickle has not yet been fully revealed.
Is Nicole Kidman returning for the sequel?
There is currently no confirmation that Nicole Kidman will appear in the new movie. Randy Quaid has publicly argued that she should return, but his comments do not represent an official casting announcement.
Will Tom Cruise play Cole Trickle again?
Yes. Cruise is returning as Cole Trickle, the character he played in the 1990 original.
When will the Days of Thunder sequel be released?
Paramount has scheduled the sequel for June 2, 2028. The movie is being prepared for IMAX and other premium theatrical formats.
Who is directing the new Days of Thunder?
Jonathan Levine is directing the sequel, with Cruise producing alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.
