The heyday of NASCAR racing lured in Fortune 500 companies and even mega Hollywood stars to the sport. Back in the day, NASCAR was a part of popular culture, and its influence spread far and wide. This led to multiple movies depicting the life and culture of NASCAR racing. Although there’s an ongoing debate among the community on which movie they think is the best, Days of Thunder is right up there. The likes of Talladega Nights and Disney Pixar’s CARS are the other options that fans often rally behind. But Hollywood’s megastar Tom Cruise, depicting the life of a race car driver, goes to show how relevant NASCAR as a sport was.
However, with reports of NASCAR reviving Days of Thunder for a sequel emerging, fans certainly aren’t happy.
Well, the modern era of NASCAR racing has had its fair share of troubles, and it’s fair to say that documentaries and movies would guide the sport on the right path. While hardcore NASCAR fans have stuck by the sport through thick and thin, the younger audiences haven’t picked up on it yet. In contrast, Formula 1 has been able to crack that code, and it looks like NASCAR is trying to bank on a similar strategy.
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The NASCAR community got its first Netflix series, Full-Speed, in 2024, and going by the reports, they are also planning on a sequel for Days of Thunder. “@NASCAR remains interested in participating in a “Days of Thunder” sequel but says it doesn’t have anything official to announce following November reports about the topic.” Sports Business Journal shared this update on X.
Moreover, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell, sharing his take on this new project, said, “It would be great to see it happen, but that’s as far as any discussions have gone.” Well, a sequel of a successful movie like Days of Thunder isn’t a bad idea; it might get NASCAR back into the limelight. However, the fans just weren’t feeling optimistic about it and rather pitched in with other plans and ideas.
NASCAR fans are not sold on the Days of Thunder sequel
It feels like NASCAR is trying just too hard to promote its racing product. The ideas of docuseries with Netflix and bringing in streaming partners like Amazon Prime are clear indications of that. But trying to revive the sport with the nostalgia of a movie like Days of Thunder isn’t the best idea, according to this race fan. “The original film is a classic, but, it was from a different time. I just don’t see a film like that working in today’s very “corporate” and “polished” NASCAR.”
Tom Cruise is probably one actor who is just timeless. The Mission Impossible franchise and the return of Top Gun certainly make him a perfect fit for a movie sequel. Although a few fans welcomed this idea, they had sky-high expectations from the actor. “The only proper way to do this would be to have Tom Cruise actually drive in races (a la Top Gun Maverick) but I just don’t see that happening.” However, given that Brad Pitt’s F1 movie Apex has him doing laps in a modified version of the F1 car, could Tom Cruise driving around in a Next-Gen car be a real possibility?
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NASCAR fans get a fair share of nostalgia when it comes to racing. Given the current state of racing with the Next Gen car, most fans even revisit old races and videos online to get their dose of fulfillment. But as far as movies go, they would want to see a new project that resonates with the current timeliness and cultural shifts within the sport. “Please, no more remakes/sequels. Let the original be. Make something new.”
Adding to the sentiment of working on something fresh and new, this Reddit user wasn’t satisfied with one movie; rather, he hoped that NASCAR rolled out multiple projects. It has to be noted the sequel for the Full: Speed The NASCAR Netflix Series is delayed and will roll out in April this year. Not sure how NASCAR would be able to manage two movies at a time, but this is what this fan demanded. “What if they made a new NASCAR movie instead? You know, instead of a sequel/remake? There could be more than two (two?) NASCAR movies.”
It’s not that NASCAR can’t embark on an ambitious attempt to roll out multiple projects at a time, but there are certain limitations. Going by this fan’s take, it seems like no one in Hollywood would be sold on making a movie affiliated with NASCAR. In doing so, he also highlighted a major concern within the film industry: “Wouldn’t be surprised that the reason we don’t have one is just because no one in Hollywood (who knows what they’re doing) wants to make one, even with an established IP like Days of Thunder.”
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What are your thoughts on this discussion? Would you like to have a sequel to Days of Thunder or have a new movie entirely?
Fans Offended by NASCAR’s “Corporate” Moves to Continue Iconic Movie’s Legacy
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