Tom Cruise in early negotiation for the sequel to ‘Days of Thunder’

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood star Tom Cruise, who was last seen in ‘Mission: Impossible 7’, is currently in early stage of talks with Paramount for a sequel to ‘Days of Thunder’.

‘Days of Thunder’ was a 1990 NASCAR drama which was directed by the late Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (with his late producing partner Don Simpson), reports ‘Variety’.

No other creatives are in place, and Tom’s full docket, promoting ‘Mission: Impossible 8’, filming Alejandro G. Inarritu’s next movie, and developing another ‘Top Gun’ movie, mean this project is far off from starting its ignition.

As per ‘Variety’, Bruckheimer, who also produced ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, has also been involved in discussions about returning for the project, as per the sources.

The first film follows the exploits of the impeccably named Cole Trickle, a scrappy race car driver recruited to a new NASCAR team led by a retired racing legend played by Robert Duvall. Cruise’s connection to the film is considerable: He got his first and, to date, only official writing credit on the film for developing the story with screenwriter Robert Towne.

And it’s where he met Nicole Kidman, to whom he was married for 11 years, and who made her Hollywood debut playing a neurosurgeon who falls in love with Cole.

The movie opened to modest box office (for Cruise), earning $157.9 million globally in unadjusted grosses, and a tepid reception among critics, but has since risen in esteem. Racing films have also become in vogue of late, from 2019’s ‘Ford v Ferrari’ to next year’s Brad Pitt vehicle ‘F1’, from director Joseph Kosinski, who is known for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’.