Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder Disaster: The Real Reason He Never Worked With Don Simpson Again

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In the height of Tom Cruise’s fame, the film “Days of Thunder” became emblematic of Hollywood’s flaws in the late ’80s. Now seen as a monument to the industry’s overconfidence, it crumbled under the pressure of excessive anticipation. With the success of 1989’s Best Picture winner “Rain Man“, Cruise joined forces with Robert Duvall and director Tony Scott for his next project. They brought on board Oscar-nominated composer Hans Zimmer, and the writer of “Chinatown>” as well. However, instead of succeeding, this impressive team’s efforts ultimately failed.

From the starting line to the finish, “Days of Thunder” veered off track quite a bit. Yet, looking back, this Jerry Bruckheimer-Don Simpson-Tom Cruise collaboration offers an intriguing examination of clashing ideals and characters. It’s a captivating blend of highbrow and lowbrow cultures: stock-car racing, product endorsements, hustle and bustle, contemporary spirituality, fast food, rock music, fame, and technology, all neatly packaged for the big screen.

Days of Thunder, a film, is often considered as the epitome of American cinema. Despite being a typical popcorn movie, it carried an underlying essence of artistic vision. It was financially successful, yet it managed to irritate many viewers. Frequently compared to the 1986 film Top Gun, Days of Thunder capitalized on its predecessor’s influence and Cruise’s “Maverick” image. Instead of an F-14, they used a Chevy Lumina with a Mello Yello logo in the hope of creating another blockbuster, even adding a celebrity-filled soundtrack to it. With Tom Cruise, or rather Cole Trickle, at the helm, everything seemed set for success, didn’t it?

“Cotton Candy Spun from Pure Sugar”

The movie began in a foreboding manner, with key plot points being hashed out over dinner at the Olive Garden surprisingly enough. With the script being improvised, actors received their lines only on the day of filming. The opening weekend in the summer of 1990 was underwhelming.

By November of that year, Bruckheimer and his producing partner were let go by Paramount, as their contracts were terminated. Fans and viewers found humor in the movie’s mistakes. Racer Alan Kulwicki criticized it to Entertainment Weekly, expressing concern over the misleading portrayal it presented.

They depicted us as being reckless and prone to crashes, similar to demolition derby racers who intentionally collide and find enjoyment in it. However, that’s not the case with us; we don’t deliberately crash into one another or find amusement in such incidents.

Previously obtaining exclusive support from the US Defense Department for the film ‘Top Gun’, Bruckheimer and Simpson successfully negotiated logistical and licensing assistance from NASCAR. However, despite having a budget approximately four times larger than that of Top Gun, the film garnered significantly less revenue, an oversight that Paramount’s executives found unacceptable. This financial disparity was a topic of much discussion among journalists, who were critical of the movie. Entertainment Weekly described it as “fluffy candy made entirely from sugar,” and a type of entertainment for audiences with a limited understanding of what constitutes a real film. When critics criticize the public’s intelligence, it indicates that the movie has struck a chord.

Don Simpson vs. The Church of Scientology

In 1993, following the movie’s failure at the box office, we were given a behind-the-scenes look at the turmoil that ensued. The story goes that David Miscavige (the religious leader of the Church of Scientology) attempted to present filmmakers with a cutting-edge piece of proprietary recording equipment, but this action reportedly led to his dismissal from the set by Simpson, who had a disagreement with the often contentious religion. It’s uncertain if Miscavige was invited by Cruise, given their close friendship, but it seems plausible. This incident might have been the reason why Simpson and Cruise never collaborated professionally again, although Simpson’s substance abuse issues likely didn’t endear him to the health-conscious actor either.

Is It Actually a Flop?

It’s important to note that the film was produced primarily for Tom Cruise to indulge in high-speed driving, having been captivated by auto racing following Paul Newman’s introduction. Eager to experience the thrill, Cruise managed to convince Simpson (who had other preoccupations) to risk Paramount’s funds after his success with Top Gun. As Simpson’s influence grew, he demanded a role despite lacking acting experience, reportedly squandering large amounts of money on lavish parties, as suggested by Slate. The production was so chaotic that the screenwriter, Robert Towne, had to feed lines to Cruise through an earpiece while he was in his race car due to a crash, according to a LAWeekly analysis. This was necessary because Cruise had previously tried reading scripts taped up in his race car.

Initially perceived as a dismal flop, it ultimately managed to gain an audience and surpass its $60 million production budget primarily due to strong VHS sales. However, this performance was not impressive enough for studio executives who focus on immediate box office revenue in the U.S., ignoring potential long-term success. Tom Cruise remained unfazed by this setback, teaming up once more with Oscar-winning screenwriter Towne, who penned his successful films The Firm and Mission: Impossible (1 & 2). Bruckheimer and Simpson also moved past the negative publicity; unfortunately, Simpson passed away in 1996 as a result of his lifestyle choices.

The flop at its premiere of the movie is often attributed as marking the end of the period when producers dominated blockbuster films. However, ironically, director Tony Scott was relegated to a secondary role in what could have been his project, despite the fact that Days of Thunder was destined for failure long before cameras started rolling. In essence, it was a repetitive storyline required to meet an unreasonable standard of success, overshadowed by a more accomplished film. You can watch it now on Prime Video.

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2025-04-05 19:02