Randy Quaid isn’t holding back regarding the casting of Anne Hathaway in Days of Thunder 2.

Released in 1990 and directed by the late Tony Scott, the original Days of Thunder stars Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle, an up-and-coming NASCAR driver who gets his shot at competing in the big leagues. Last week, Cruise confirmed that a sequel is in the works with a release date set for June 2, 2028, and Hathaway is officially confirmed to appear in the follow-up.

In a series of posts on X, Quaid, who starred as Tim Daland in the original movie, slams Hathaway’s casting in Days of Thunder 2, calling her a “leftist, woke, horrible choice” who will kill the movie’s chances of success. According to the controversial Quaid, the main female lead in the sequel should be Nicole Kidman, who played Cruise’s love interest Dr. Claire Lewicki in the original.

“Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA,” Quaid writes. “The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea. It’s interesting because when we made the first one there was also a rush to get it out; editors slept in the cutting room on shifts. This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank.”

In another post, Quaid reiterates his desire to see Kidman return for the Days of Thunder sequel, arguing that the main innovation in the movie shouldn’t be its stars, but its race cars:

“If I were in control of production, a real sequel worth watching for DAYS OF THUNDER would be seeing Tom and Nicole together on screen again,” writes Quaid. “We don’t need a new girl; we need a new race car!“

In another particularly tasteless post, Quaid hurls an insult at Cruise and writes that Hathaway “isn’t sexy” because “she’s pregnant.”

“We need Nicole back. Don’t be a p***y, [Tom Cruise],” Quaid shares. “You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking. Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant.“

Quaid, who no longer regularly acts and whose last notable role was arguably 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, has become an especially controversial figure over the past decade. An outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, Quaid made headlines several years ago for his emphatic support for the conspiracy theory that Trump lost the 2020 election due to systemic voter fraud, a claim that remains unsupported by evidence.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t seem like Quaid will be returning for Days of Thunder 2, which hails from director Jonathan Levine. So far, Cruise and Hathaway are the only two actors confirmed for the project, which is expected to begin production early next year.

Despite mostly negative reviews from critics at the time, the original Days of Thunder remains an early-career highlight for Cruise and has become something of a cult classic. Grossing about $157 million worldwide, the film was eventually embraced by the NASCAR community for its thrilling racing sequences.

Many questions still remain about Days of Thunder 2, but the film comes amidst a busy time for Hathaway, who just recently starred in hit films like The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) and The Odyssey (2026). Cruise, meanwhile, is gearing up for the release of Digger later this year, and is evidently hoping his upcoming NASCAR movie will repeat the success of nostalgic sequel Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.