Anne Hathaway is disappearing from Hollywood after five films in a year — she will be back for Tom Cruise
She plays a race team owner and engineer. Five films and a new baby in twelve months come first, ending with Verity on 2 October.
Anne Hathaway has had a mad busy year, even by her standards—five films out in less than 12 months and just casually welcoming her third child into the world. If you were wondering when she’d finally put her feet up, she’s not shy about her plans. Hathaway’s next big thing has her teaming up with Tom Cruise for the long-awaited sequel to Days of Thunder—but she’s making a swift exit from everything else first.
In her own words on Entertainment Tonight, Hathaway said: "The movie comes out October 2nd, and on October 3rd, I’m going to like vanish in a plume of smoke, and you’re not going to see me until you have to."
Race Prep: Hathaway’s Hiatus and Return
So here’s how it shakes out: Hathaway wraps up her latest project, Verity, which lands in cinemas on 2 October 2026. The very next day, she’s off the grid—at least until March, when filming begins for Days of Thunder 2. She’s been clear she’s taking that break seriously, insisting: ‘I’m definitely gonna disappear, take some time off. But then yes, but then I’m joining Tom on the track in March.’ I don’t blame her, frankly. Five films and a new baby is plenty for most of us.
Read more: Anne Hathaway's dinosaur film lost money in cinemas — a month later it is ahead of Moana on digital
To sum up the timeline:
- Verity releases: 2 October 2026
- Hathaway ‘vanishes’: from 3 October 2026
- Shoots Days of Thunder 2 with Tom Cruise: starts March 2027
- Sequel set to launch in cinemas: 2 June 2028
Hathaway joins Cruise on the NASCAR track from March 2027, with the sequel heading to cinemas in June 2028.
The Sequel: Who’s In, Who's Steering
Paramount set the official Days of Thunder 2 release date in August 2026—naturally with Cruise back at the wheel. He and Hathaway appeared together then to reveal the project’s in pre-production, so no secrets here. For the sequel, Hathaway takes on the role of a race team owner and engineer, which is a first for her in this setting. Jonathan Levine, who’s been in talks to direct since July 2026 (per The Hollywood Reporter), seems the likely frontrunner for the director's chair. The script comes from Will Staples.
The first Days of Thunder is a proper throwback—Tony Scott behind the camera, Cruise playing rookie Cole Trickle, with Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, and Michael Rooker running support. It pulled in $157.9 million worldwide in 1990 and became one of those Cruise films everyone’s either seen or meant to see. The sequel itself has been floating around since at least late 2024, when Variety said Cruise was finalising his deal both to star and produce.
Hathaway and Cruise have never shared screen time before, so expect plenty of curiosity (and probably a tabloid frenzy) in the run-up. If you’re keeping score, Paramount’s also working on a Top Gun: Maverick follow-up at the same time. So Cruise’s calendar isn’t getting any lighter soon, either.
Read more: Universal is running Anne Hathaway for Best Supporting Actress — against her own Odyssey co-star