Shawn Levy declines Tom Cruise sequel to direct Ghost Rider and signs Disney deal

Director Shawn Levy has reportedly declined an offer from Tom Cruise to direct the sequel to ‘Days of Thunder’. According to reports from Puck, Cruise aggressively pursued Levy for the project, which includes a visit to the set of ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ as part of the recruitment effort. The directing role for the sequel has instead gone to Jonathan Levine.

Levy opted to prioritize a Marvel Studios ‘Ghost Rider’ project starring Ryan Gosling. This decision follows a major professional milestone for Levy, who recently signed a nine-figure, five-year television deal with Disney. Through his company, 21 Laps Entertainment, Levy will develop and produce series for 20th Television and other Disney platforms.

While Netflix reportedly attempted to match Disney’s offer to retain the ‘Stranger Things’ executive producer, Levy has committed to the Disney partnership. The move comes as Levy continues work on ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ and prepares for the upcoming ‘Ghost Rider’ production.