Jerry Bruckheimer was terrified that Brad Pitt would crash his car while shooting F1
For the better part of four decades, Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been a kind of blockbuster travel agent for audiences around the globe.
"We're in the transportation business," he tells Q guest host Talia Schlanger in an interview. "We transport you into another world."
Bruckheimer has taken movie-goers on a spaceship to an asteroid in Armageddon, into the back of a cop car with Will Smith in Bad Boys, and into the cockpit of a fighter jet in Top Gun. His latest movie, F1, brings you to the racetrack for a front row seat at one of the world's biggest sporting events.
WATCH | Official trailer for F1:
The new high-octane blockbuster stars Brad Pitt as an aging Formula One driver who attempts to make a comeback 30 years after his promising career is derailed by an accident.
As a veteran producer, Bruckheimer had to draw on everything he knows about making action movies to pull off the film's high-risk stunts, while also maintaining authenticity and keeping his actors safe. When Pitt signed on to the movie, he insisted on driving himself without the use of green screens.
"When you see Brad in the car, he's in the car," Bruckheimer says. "[The actors] are in the car going 180 miles an hour, breaking down to 50. The G-force is in the corners; you hit five Gs when you go in those corners at 50 miles an hour. And the downforce is unbelievable."
These are rocket ships that they're driving at these enormous speeds. - Jerry Bruckheimer
While shooting the film's life-threatening scenes, Bruckheimer was constantly worried about Pitt's safety. He says his happiest day on set was when the A-list star stepped out of the car for the final time in Abu Dhabi.
"That was his unhappiest day because it was over," Bruckheimer says. "He just loved it. Even though he took a beating physically…. You don't understand, these are rocket ships that they're driving at these enormous speeds."
But despite all of the impressive action shots, Bruckheimer says it's "the emotional story" that really hooks you in.
"You don't have to be a racing fan or know anything about F1 to really enjoy this movie because once we get you in the theatre, we're going to surround you with a great story, great visuals and great sound," he tells Schlanger. "You're going to have a great experience for over two hours. And I promise you, you'll feel better when you walk out than when you walked in."
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