Image via Jeff Gordon/Facebook
Legendary NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has publicly said he wants to be a part of the Days of Thunder movie sequel Tom Cruise is reportedly working on. The NASCAR Hall of Famer and current vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports wants to influence a movie which could help cast the sport in a positive mass media spotlight.
Actor Frankie Muniz finishes tenth at Daytona.
The original Days of Thunder movie did help bring NASCAR to the masses, although some had a problem with inaccuracies in how the motorsport was portrayed on the big screen. Perhaps that’s in part why Gordon wants to be involved if there is in fact a sequel made.
“I’ve absolutely talked to Tom about it because I want him to do the project,” Gordon told the Associated Press. “We want to be a part of it if it were to happen.”
Gordon and Cruise do appear to have a cordial relationship, with the actor attending the driver’s banquet of honor when he retired from NASCAR in 2015.
The upcoming F1 movie starring Brad Pitt was made with considerable collaboration among different teams and FIA. Scenes were shot at Grand Prix events around the world, adding an element of realism that can’t be achieved using CGI.
Gordon questioned how a movie about NASCAR would be filmed today with modern technology. In the original Days of Thunder, big cameras and rigging had to be fitted inside stock cars, which was a tricky thing to set up.
But with small cameras, we would think filming inside a stock car would be relatively simple to figure out, so we’re unsure why Gordon is concerned about that. He did tell the AP he’s worried about the film being “realistic” and “really authentic” so perhaps he’s worried CGI would be used in lieu of practical effects.
Tom Cruise has a reputation for doing his own rather dangerous stunts and for eschewing CGI whenever possible. That’s in part what made Top Gun: Maverick such an entertaining movie. We would expect a similar approach should a Days of Thunder sequel movie become a reality.
Image via Jeff Gordon/Facebook
