Randy Quaid slams Anne Hathaway in Days of Thunder sequel
DIRECT ANSWER: Randy Quaid, who played NASCAR team owner Tim Daland in the 1990 original, has blasted Anne Hathaway's casting in Paramount's Days of Thunder follow-up on X. The actor called Hathaway a "horrible choice" and argued Nicole Kidman should return instead—hours after he teased his own involvement in the sequel alongside Tom Cruise.
Paramount announced Saturday that Hathaway will star opposite Cruise in the long-awaited racing sequel, dated June 2, 2028. The news landed amid a wave of streaming and TV alerts as studios lock in major franchise dates.
Key Takeaways
- Randy Quaid criticized Anne Hathaway on X, calling her a "horrible choice" and urging Tom Cruise to cast Nicole Kidman instead.
- Paramount set Days of Thunder for June 2, 2028, with IMAX and premium theatrical formats including Dolby Cinema and 4DX.
- Hathaway will play a racecar team owner and engineer; Cruise reprises Cole Trickle under director Jonathan Levine.
- Quaid teased his own return hours before his rant, posting that Cruise had called him about making the sequel.
- Hathaway confirmed she will give birth before filming begins; it remains unclear whether other original cast members will return.
Why is Randy Quaid criticizing Anne Hathaway's casting?
In multiple posts on X on August 29, 2026, Quaid railed against Hathaway joining Cruise for the follow-up. "Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA," he wrote, according to The Independent.
Quaid argued the "sexy older chick" role should go to Kidman, who starred alongside Cruise in the Tony Scott original. "We need Nicole back," he posted. "Don't be a pussy, @TomCruise. You need the original girl. It's not personal; it's filmmaking." He also claimed Anne "isn't sexy" and noted she is pregnant.
The backlash came hours after Quaid appeared to celebrate the sequel in a video, writing, "Hey, Tom Cruise just called me. We're making Days of Thunder 2!" Deadline noted the rant could prove awkward if his return is real; the outlet said it reached out to Paramount.
When will the Days of Thunder sequel arrive in theaters?
Paramount has dated the feature for June 2, 2028—nearly four decades after the first film hit screens in 1990. Cruise and Hathaway celebrated the casting Saturday with a promotional image posed together on a NASCAR track at Daytona.
The project will be shot for IMAX and released exclusively in theaters across formats including Dolby Cinema and 4DX, Variety reported exclusively. Jonathan Levine, who directed Long Shot, is confirmed to helm the picture. Will Staples penned the script.
Who is joining Tom Cruise in the Days of Thunder follow-up?
Cruise will reprise his role as hot-headed rookie driver Cole Trickle. Hathaway is set to play a racecar team owner and engineer; plot details remain scarce. Cruise produces alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.
The 1990 original also starred Kidman, Robert Duvall, and John C. Reilly alongside Quaid. It is unclear whether any original cast will return; Duvall died earlier this year. Cruise and Kidman, who married in 1990 and divorced in 2001, have not shared the screen since.
Hathaway has four films in theaters in 2026 and is pregnant with her third child. She confirmed in the sequel announcement that she will give birth before production starts. The Days of Thunder follow-up marks Cruise's first major IP engagement after winding down the Mission: Impossible franchise.