Tom Cruiseand Brad Pitt almost met on the racing track long before the latter’s starring turn inF1.Pitt’s new Formula One movieis directed byTop Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, and offers the same kind of high-octane adrenaline rush - laced with surprising authenticity and cutting-edge filming - that Tom Cruise’s smash-hit Navy sequel was praised for. By all accounts,F1is as close as an audience can get to the thrill of driving a Formula One car without risking their personal safety.
As two of Hollywood’s biggest names, it’s no surprise that Pitt and Cruise have shared the screen in years gone by. Somewhat more surprising is that they’ve only properly teamed together once - on 1994’sInterview with the Vampire.Pitt recently expressed his desire to work with Cruisein the future, as long as he isn’t required to perform any death-defying stunts, but their sole joint credit remains the Anne Rice goth-athon. Curiously, the pair came very close to reuniting in a movie that shares far more DNA withF1than with drinking blood and brooding.
Rather Than Cruising Into Theaters, It Got Stuck In The Pitt Lane
In an interview withExtra, Brad Pitt recalls how he and Tom Cruise were initially lined up for the starring roles in 2019’s Le Mans movie,Ford v Ferrari. In the finished film, Matt Damon portrays former driver and automobile company owner Carroll Shelby, who recruits Christian Bale’s Ken Miles to help design and race a vehicle to beat Ferrari at Le Mans ‘66. According to Pitt, Tom Cruise was in pole position for Shelby, while Pitt himself would have takenChristian Bale’s role. Additionally, this unmade version ofFord v Ferrariwould have been directed byTop Gun: MaverickandF1’s Joseph Kosinski.
Pitt doesn’t say exactly why he and Cruise never gotFord v Ferrari- then known asGo Like Hell- revving, although he does suggest Cruise was less than delighted about getting the more pedestrian part, admitting, “I think Tom was like, ‘But wait, Shelby doesn’t drive any more in this movie…'” Previously,Ford v Ferrari’s eventual director, James Mangold (viaScreenDaily), explained how a high budget was the prohibitive factor that stoppedGo Like Hellgetting made during those early stages when Cruise and Pitt were in the driving seats.
A Missed Opportunity Or A Blessing In Disguise?
On one hand, the prospect of such an A-list pairing getting their teeth into an already-impressive script could be regarded as one of Hollywood’s big “what if” moments. With Joseph Kosinski on board, Cruise and Pitt’sFord v Ferraricould have become a spiritual predecessor toTop Gun: MaverickandF1. On the other hand, Matt Damon and Christian Bale were perfectly cast as Shelby and Miles, with Bale putting in an especially endearing performance.Nominated for Best Pictureat the 2020 Oscars,Ford v Ferrariclearly did something right.
It could also be said that Joseph Kosinski makingFord v Ferrariwith Brad Pitt andTom Cruisewould have altered the course of both actors’ careers. With a high-octane 2010s sports movie under their respective belts, it’s possible that Cruise could have steered away from making aTop Gunsequel, while Pitt may have been less inclined to makeF1. Perhaps the hand of cinematic destiny made the right call on this occasion.
Sources:Extra,ScreenDaily
Tom Cruise
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