Anne Hathaway to Appear With Tom Cruise in Paramount’s ‘Days of Thunder 2,’ Cruise Says

Paramount Pictures is moving forward with Days of Thunder 2, and Tom Cruise has announced that Anne Hathaway will join the sequel. In a post shared on his social platforms, Cruise revealed Hathaway’s participation alongside an image of the two stars leaning against a NASCAR race car at Daytona, linking the announcement to the film’s racing theme and setting.

The Deadline report says Paramount is “revving its engines” on the upcoming sequel and frames Hathaway’s casting as the latest high-profile addition to a project built around Cruise’s return as a lead character. No character name or plot specifics were provided in the report, beyond Hathaway’s inclusion in the cast.

Cruise’s announcement appears to be the first public confirmation tying Hathaway directly to the project, with the image functioning as both a casting announcement and a visual nod to the Daytona connection referenced in the publication. The photo also indicates that the production is working within NASCAR and motorsports iconography rather than solely with fictional racing motifs.

Deadline’s coverage places the sequel within Paramount’s broader effort to capitalize on established IP with major theatrical stars, while still anchoring the film to motorsports culture. Hathaway joining Cruise in the sequel also underscores the studio’s approach of combining franchise legacy with contemporary casting in order to broaden audience appeal.

The original Days of Thunder was released in 1990, and the sequel’s development has now reached a new public milestone through this casting announcement. As of Monday, the reporting did not include a start date for filming, a release window, or additional casting updates beyond Hathaway’s addition.

The report also notes that Cruise shared the news through his social accounts, which means additional production details will likely follow through official Paramount channels or later industry reporting. Until more information is released, the public record on Hathaway’s exact role and the sequel’s story scope remains limited to her participation.

For industry observers and fans of the racing franchise, the announcement may also clarify how Paramount plans to stage the sequel’s visual identity. The Daytona setting referenced in the post suggests the studio may emphasize authentic motorsports imagery as part of its marketing and production design, though further specifics were not provided in the initial reporting.