Randy Quaid Trashes Anne Hathaway Joining ‘Days of Thunder 2’

Hollywood veteran Randy Quaid is taking aim at Paramount’s newly announced sequel to *Days of Thunder*. After the studio officially confirmed that Tom Cruise is getting back behind the wheel for a follow-up to the 1990 NASCAR classic, news broke that Oscar winner Anne Hathaway is joining the high-octane project. But Quaid, who played race team owner Tim Daland in the original movie, is far from thrilled about the studio's big casting update. Taking to X on Saturday, the actor released a blistering message criticizing the studio's decision for Cruise's new leading lady. Quaid took issue with Hathaway's political leanings, claiming her presence would alienate the motorsport fanbase that the film relies on.

Is Anne Hathaway starring in Days of Thunder 2?

In his public post, Quaid labeled Hathaway a "leftist, woke, horrible choice" for the upcoming action sequel. He argued that the core demographic for a NASCAR-focused motion picture leans heavily "MAGA," making Hathaway a poor fit for the audience. Instead of bringing a franchise newcomer into the fold, Quaid insisted that the film's producers should have looked backward to Cruise's personal and cinematic history. He specifically advocated for the return of Nicole Kidman, who famously starred opposite Cruise as Dr. Claire Lewicki in the original 1990 film. Cruise and Kidman married later that same year after meeting on set, eventually divorcing in 2001. Quaid claimed that bringing Kidman back as the female lead alongside Cruise is the exact casting move required to make the sequel a success.

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Why is Randy Quaid criticizing Days of Thunder 2?

Beyond his casting grievances, Quaid pointed out similarities between the current project's rapid push into production and the intense schedule of the original release. He remembered how post-production crew members were forced to sleep in shifts inside the editing room just to finish the 1990 film on time. Wrapping up his social media commentary, Quaid openly questioned Paramount's strategy for the franchise revival. He suggested the studio's choices feel bizarre, comparing the roll-out to a situation where executives almost seem eager for the project to fail at the box office. Representatives for Paramount, Cruise, and Hathaway have not yet commented on Quaid's social media outburst.