F1 is popping out to be one of many summer season’s most surprising success tales, and a reminder of the attraction of basic, old school, high-concept cinema. Reuniting the writer-director-producer—and even composer—of Prime Gun: Maverick, it’s simply as immersive and fascinating as that movie, even when it’s lacking one key ingredient: Tom Cruise. Brad Pitt is great within the lead function, however actually, I wasn’t the one one watching F1 considering that it felt virtually precisely like a Tom Cruise film—solely with out him. In actual fact, Cruise himself has been overtly advocating for folks to see F1, displaying up on the premiere and writing about how a lot he loved it on social media. Nevertheless it additionally appears to have lit a aggressive fireplace inside Cruise, who—after thirty-five years—has introduced a sequel to his personal racing film, Days of Thunder! However what would it not be like?
Now, one factor value noting is that Days of Thunder wasn’t one among Tom Cruise’s greater hits, even when it’s now thought of one thing of a basic. Launched in 1990, it was seen as Cruise’s follow-up to Prime Gun, reuniting him with that film’s director, Tony Scott, in addition to the manufacturing crew of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. But, the shoot was infamously problematic, affected by the excesses of producer Don Simpson—detailed in stunning style in the e-book Excessive Idea. One well-known story was that Simpson had a closet stuffed with Donna Karan clothes readily available to offer out to attractive ladies he noticed at Daytona, who would come to personal events that have been notorious for his or her extra. The film’s script was additionally problematic and affected by countless rewrites, to the purpose that the funds hovered someplace round $70 million.
The film was a field workplace disappointment. It earned $82 million domestically, which was a stable quantity in 1990, however 4 years earlier Prime Gun made near $100 million greater than this for half the funds. You do the mathematics.
That mentioned, Days of Thunder did properly on VHS and cable, and appears to have gotten a second life—particularly within the wake of Prime Gun: Maverick’s success, which appears to have reinvigorated curiosity in Tom Cruise’s catalogue, particularly his legendary run with Paramount Photos, the place he’s spent most of his profession. Days of Thunder is usually packaged with different, extra profitable Cruise motion pictures like Prime Gun and The Agency.
Actually, a Days of Thunder sequel has potential, however to my mind-set, there’s one pivotal cause that Cruise needs to make it—past pleasant competitors with F1. You see, regardless of its mega funds and entry to the world of NASCAR, Cruise was not allowed—for insurance coverage functions—to do a variety of his personal driving, with him doubled by Greg Sacks. Now, Cruise did certainly learn to drive NASCAR for the film. He began with showroom inventory vehicles after which progressed to Nissan 300ZX race vehicles, ultimately shifting on to racing full-sized NASCAR inventory vehicles. He did do some driving within the movie—he even crashed one as a result of the truth that he was studying traces taped to the windshield on cue playing cards—however throughout this period Cruise didn’t but have the daredevil repute he would later obtain. That actually solely started with the Mission: Not possible motion pictures. I think about that if Days of Thunder 2 will get made, Cruise’s fundamental motivation shall be to do as a lot of his personal driving as doable.
Similar to Prime Gun: Maverick simulated what it might really be like flying a jet—in a approach that the unique movie by no means did—one has to think about Days of Thunder would do the identical factor for NASCAR, particularly since F1 has set the bar fairly excessive so far as Formulation One goes.
CAREFUL – F1 ENDING SPOILERS AHEAD!
One other chance is that Days of Thunder and F1 might cross over. Cruise and Pitt are famously buddies, having walked the crimson carpet collectively for the F1 premiere, and having co-starred in Interview with the Vampire. F1’s Joseph Kosinski has overtly mentioned bringing the 2 franchises collectively, and it might make sense. On the finish of F1, Pitt’s Sonny Hayes—after successful the Grand Prix—leaves the world of F1 behind. The film establishes that, medically, he’s by no means been capable of totally get better from the trauma of his crash thirty years earlier, and it ends on a bittersweet observe, with it clear that his medical issues are catching up with him and that he might not have a lot time left. The film makes it clear that he’s going to maintain on racing till he dies, and that he’s proficient in any respect varieties of driving—so possibly he hits NASCAR? Having Sonny Hayes go up towards Cole Trickle, who could possibly be established as one of many sport’s biggest legends, could be an incredible hook for a sequel.
And there’s one other factor that might make Days of Thunder an enormous occasion. The film is arguably most well-known for the truth that it co-starred Nicole Kidman, and that she and Cruise married shortly after and have become Hollywood’s golden couple till their divorce within the early 2000s. For apparent causes, their careers have by no means actually intertwined within the years since, and there have been a great deal of tabloid tales about points the 2 may need had. But, in recent times, each have praised one another as actors within the media—and will you think about how prestigious it might be if Cruise and Kidman reunited greater than twenty years after their divorce in a film? Each have maintained a stage of stardom that’s uncommon within the business, and having her reprise her function as Cole’s love curiosity could be a coup. Right here’s a good crazier route they might go: her character is a neurosurgeon, and in F1 it’s made clear that Sonny is affected by neurological points that will sooner or later kill him. Think about he goes to her for remedy, after which he and Cruise not solely go to struggle on the racetrack—but additionally for her affection? Heck, you would even have her and Cole’s relationship mirror Cruise and Kidman’s personal and have them be divorced.
Most significantly, although, Days of Thunder 2 will want an awesome director—and admittedly, there’s just one one that can do it: Joseph Kosinski. Give us a Days of Thunder 2 that’s directed by Kosinski, scored by Hans Zimmer (his OG Days of Thunder rating is a masterpiece), and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and it might be an occasion. In some methods, I’d virtually prefer to see it greater than one other Prime Gun film—as a result of Maverick was already fairly good.
