In 1990, Paramount Pictures released the NASCAR centered film Days of Thunder starring Tom Cruise and a relatively unknown actor, Nicole Kidman. The movie set became the place the pair began a relationship that resulted in a 10-year marriage.
Their divorce was finalized in 2001.
Following the success of the long-awaited sequel to Cruise's 1986 film Top Gun, 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, Hollywood started seriously considering a sequel for Days of Thunder. On August 29, Paramount Pictures announced Tom Cruise would produce the film and reprise his role as driver Cole Trickle with Anne Hathaway tapped for the female lead.
Cruise shared a short promo on X to mark the occasion.
In the original film, Kidman played a neurosurgeon who treated Cruise's character after a crash. Hathaway will reportedly play a racecar owner and engineer in the sequel.
While Hathaway is coming off some major box office successes, with starring roles in The Odyssey and The Devil Wears Prada 2, not everyone is thrilled with her casting in Cruise's racing sequel.
Randy Quaid, who played a wealthy car dealership and race team owner who recruited Cruise's character into NASCAR, took to social media to give Tom Cruise casting advice. In recent years, Quaid has made more headlines for his unhinged behavior, run-ins with the law, and MAGA minion social media than for his acting.
Quaid quote posted Cruise's promo with the caption:
"We need Nicole back. Don't be a pussy, [Tom Cruise]. You need the original girl."
"It's not personal; it's filmmaking."
He then added:
"Anne isn't sexy, because and if you haven't noticed, she's pregnant."
Quaid continued:
"If I were in control of production, a real sequel worth watching for DAYS OF THUNDER would be seeing Tom and Nicole together on screen again. We don’t need a new girl; we need a new race car!"
Quaid claimed:
"Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea."
"It’s interesting because when we made the first one there was also a rush to get it out; editors slept in the cutting room on shifts. This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank."
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Deciding he was best suited to speak for the late Tony Scott, who directed the first film, Quaid added:
"Tony Scott, whose style I loved—I also loved working with him—would never cast Anne in a million years. Tony was all about making well-made films with great actors who had sex appeal. A high-octane MAGA woman was Tony’s thing."
"He could never get what he wanted for DAYS OF THUNDER out of woke lefty schlump Anne; and trying to cut around her would be hell for everyone."
@RandyRRQuaid/X
People questioned Quaid's assessment of Scott's leading ladies and Hathaway's attractiveness.
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Some wondered if Quaid knew how pregnancy works...
...or why he thought Kidman would have any desire to reprise her role as Cruise's love interest.
@erynndalton/Threads
Days of Thunder 2 is set for a June 2028 release.
Quaid, who has had only two acting roles since 2009, hasn't been announced as returning for the sequel.
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@Doug Ellin/X
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