Whenever Hollywood has gone all in for a NASCAR movie, the results have been quite fruitful, not just for the movies but also for the sport. Days of Thunder is the biggest example of it. However, the intent of the movie also determines its impact and the effect on the sport. When done right, it can truly help the sport. But with the wrong intent, it equally has the power to damage it, something that Brad Keselowski recently touched on.
Hollywood’s double-edged influence on NASCAR’s image
In an interview ahead of the Bristol race, Brad Keselowski spoke about how Days of Thunder impacted him as a child. He claimed the Tom Cruise starrer was his “racing movie” growing up.
Keselowski argued that should Hollywood decide to make a sequel to that movie, NASCAR could greatly benefit from it. But at the same time, the RFK Racing driver and co-owner warned against the other side of the coin.
“I think when I look at our sport and its ability to be mainstream. You can never dismiss the power that Hollywood has to either help increase our brand or, in some cases, hurt our brand,” he described.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a good example of this. While many loved it, there were several drivers who felt that the movie damaged NASCAR’s perception globally because of its parody tone.
For instance, Kyle Larson said the movie “did not do anything good” and “turned our sport into a joke”, arguing how it changed the way outsiders view NASCAR.
Having said that, he claimed that a Days of Thunder sequel, with the same people involved, is something he can support.
“Days of Thunder to me did a lot for our brand as a sport. And I think my impression of that group, I think it’s Paramount, and Bruckheimer and Cruise. My impression of those gentlemen in that group as a whole is anything they do for the sport will carry it in a positive light, and that’s something I can get behind,” Keselowski said.
The movie revolved around the plot of Cole Trickle, an up-and-coming star driver, his rivalry with Rowdy Burns, and his relationship with his crew chief. It also had guest appearances from NASCAR legends like Richard Petty and Rusty Wallace. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning over $150 million.
Brad @Keselowski believes @TomCruise, Jerry Bruckheimer and @ParamountPics have the power to make #NASCAR go mainstream again.
Hear the latest on the “Days of Thunder” sequel and comments from more drivers on its potential impact in my story for @SpeedFreaks
… pic.twitter.com/0elPbu8PVI
— Cole Cusumano (@Cole_Cusumano_) April 7, 2026
Interestingly, a Days of Thunder sequel is something that Joseph Kosinski has already teased. Kosinski is also the director of one of 2025’s biggest blockbuster movies, F1, which starred Brad Pitt.
The movie grossed over $600 million worldwide and introduced F1 to newer audiences with a Days of Thunder touch. This was because the NASCAR movie from 1990 and the F1 movie from 2025 both had the same producer, Jerry Bruckheimer.
In an interview with GQ, Kosinski teased the idea of bringing Pitt and Cruise together to create a crossover movie between NASCAR and F1.
“Right now, it’d be Cole Trickle [Cruise’s Days of Thunder character]. We find out that he and Sonny Hayes [Pitt’s F1 character] have a past. They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths,” he said.
Kosinski recalled an ‘epic go-kart battle’ between Pitt and Cruise from the production of their 1995 movie Interview with the Vampire, claiming that audiences would pay to see the two Hollywood icons battle each other on track.
Dale Jr. wants one actor in particular for Days of Thunder sequel
During an episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his thoughts on a potential Days of Thunder sequel. The NASCAR Hall of Famer claimed that the sequel should ideally have most of the original cast members.
That is something which may not come true, considering the unfortunate passing of Robert Duvall. Along with that, the pairing of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman from the original movie may not happen. The pair, who divorced in 2001 after 10 years of marriage, hasn’t worked together since 1999.
Having said that, one casting that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was adamant about was the lead actor. “I would need Tom Cruise to still be racing. Tom Cruise not in a race car for the entire movie doesn’t work for me,” he claimed.
Recently, Jeff Gordon had given a positive update for the fans when he quoted Cruise’s intention. “And I saw Tom what one or two years ago, and he actually brought it up then, and we were just laughing about it, and then he’s like, ‘No, I’m serious. Like this is going to happen.’ So when Tom Cruise says that you take it seriously, but yeah, we’ll see,” he said.
With that said, it’ll be interesting to see if Hollywood actually goes forward with pursuing a Days of Thunder sequel and how it would impact NASCAR.
