Is Hollywood’s First NASCAR–F1 Crossover Coming? Kosinski Wants Cruise and Pitt Behind the Wheel

Joseph Kosinski, the director who helped Top Gun: Maverick break the billion-dollar barrier, is no stranger to reviving legacy material with sleek precision and a boost of modern muscle. Now, it seems he’s looking to take another detour down memory lane — this time by merging Days of Thunder, Tom Cruise’s 1990 NASCAR flick, with the upcoming F1 film starring Brad Pitt.

In a recent interview with GQ, Kosinski floated a tantalising idea: what if Cruise’s Cole Trickle and Pitt’s Sonny Hayes weren’t just two cinematic racers, but two characters with history?

"We find out that he and Sonny Hayes have a past. They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths…" Even joked about a go-kart faceoff during Interview with the Vampire. "Who wouldn’t pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?"

It might sound like fan fiction, but there’s more traction here than meets the eye. A Days of Thunder sequel is reportedly already in development, with Cruise expected to return, and Paramount clearly eager to replicate Top Gun: Maverick’s formula of nostalgia + adrenaline. With F1 poised for a strong opening this weekend, a crossover could go from conversation to concept very quickly — especially if box office momentum pushes it over the line.

Could this be the beginning of a cinematic racing universe? Pitt has said he’d work with Cruise again "as long as he doesn’t have to hang off an airplane." With Days of Thunder in development and F1 gaining momentum, the idea suddenly feels less like fantasy — and more like a matter of timing.