Latest news with #DaysofThunder
Edmonton Journal
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Joseph Kosinski on putting Brad Pitt in the driver's seat for 'F1'
Article content Looking ahead, the filmmaker, who has also directed Tron: Legacy and Cruise's sci-fi thriller Oblivion, has spoken in other interviews about wanting Sonny's story to continue in a crossover with Cruise's 1990 racing drama Days of Thunder. Article content 'Well, right now, it'd be Cole Trickle, who was (Cruise's) Days of Thunder character, we find out that he and Sonny Hayes have a past,' Kosinski said about his dream pitch in a recent chat with GQ Magazine UK. 'They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths … who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?' Article content But before that storyline becomes a reality, Kosinski lifted the hood on his latest starry vehicle with Pitt in the driver's seat. Article content I've always been interested in racing and machines. I did my undergrad in mechanical engineering. So I was always a project-oriented kid; building cars, rockets, airplanes, so it was a world suited to my interests. But it was that first season of (the Netflix docuseries) Drive to Survive that hooked me. That season they focused on the last-place team. The team that doesn't win every weekend. The rookie trying to prove himself in a car that's just not as fast as everyone else's. To me, that was a way into this world. Telling the story at the back of the grid, and a racer who was once thought to be the next world champion that lost his way and gets one more chance to prove he belongs there. That was my way in from a story point of view. Then it was about building the ultimate team around me to make it. Luckily, I was able to do that. Article content Article content In Maverick, you had six cameras inside the cockpit. When people watch F1 they're going to wonder how you got all the cameras in the cars. Tell us about the technical challenges you faced making this movie. Article content Working with cinematographer Claudio Miranda, who also shot Top Gun: Maverick, we wanted to take everything we learned and push it further. So the first thing we had to do was take that camera system and miniaturize it and make it much smaller. We worked closely with Sony to develop a whole new camera system that was a third of the size and much lighter. Then we worked with Mercedes and Formula 1 to design a race car that had 15 different mounting positions built into the chassis that had space for a camera, recorders, batteries, transmitters and receivers built into the car itself. We were able to mount four cameras at a time in those positions and then we developed a panning camera mount, so we could control the movement of the camera and move it left to right while we were shooting, which is an innovation beyond anything we could do on Top Gun. It allowed us to connect the action to the actor and give you a perspective of what it feels like to be in a Formula 1 race. That was the challenge Lewis (Hamilton) gave me from the beginning. Article content I knew that he was interested in racing … Driving a real race car, going to real events, capturing it during race weekends, those were all things Brad was up for doing. Article content Luckily, F1 is run by Stefano Domenicali, who is a man that has a real vision for the sport. In our first meeting with him, he instantly got what we were going for. We also showed him Top Gun: Maverick to show him what it meant to capture it for real versus CGI. So, he understood the vision and opened the doors for us. All the teams and drivers embraced us as the 11th team on the grid for two years and made space for us and provided their feedback and expertise. Without that collaboration we wouldn't have been able to make it the way they did. Article content
The South African
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- The South African
Brad Pitt reveals why Tom Cruise passed on Ford v Ferrari
Brad Pitt revealed why he and Tom Cruise pulled out of starring in the acclaimed racing film Ford v Ferrari . The two Hollywood icons were originally set to star in the film about the legendary 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race. However, the project fell through over a simple yet very Tom Cruise-like reason: he wouldn't be driving enough on screen. In a recent interview with The National , Pitt explained that both he and Cruise were eager to take the wheel in the film. Cruise wanted to play Carroll Shelby, the visionary car designer. Brad Pitt aimed for the role of Ken Miles, the daring British driver. However, Cruise discovered that Shelby's character wouldn't be behind the wheel much. This didn't sit well with the star, known for performing his own high-risk stunts. 'Tom and I, for a while there, were on Ford v Ferrari with Joe [Kosinski] to direct. This was about 10 years before the guys who actually made it — and made it a great movie,' Pitt said. 'What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive. He wanted to play Shelby, and I wanted to play Ken Miles. And when Tom Cruise realised that Carroll Shelby would not be driving much in the movie, it didn't come through', according to The Hollywood Reporter The roles eventually went to Christian Bale as Ken Miles and Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby. They were cast under the direction of James Mangold. Brad Pitt's revelation gives a new perspective on what might have been a thrilling collaboration. Pitt, who recently starred in the Formula One drama F1: The Movie , also spoke about the possibility of a sequel. He admitted he would love to get back behind the wheel but acknowledged the story's focus would likely remain on the younger character Joshua Pierce, played by Damson Idris. 'Where does Sonny [Pitt's character] fit in? I'm not sure. Sonny's probably out on the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting speed records or something like that,' he said. Brad Pitt also expressed enthusiasm about potentially working with Cruise again on a follow-up to Cruise's 1990 NASCAR film Days of Thunder . 'I'd love to,' Pitt said, 'but I'm not going to hang my ass off aeroplanes and stuff like that'. This is a nod to Cruise's famously daring stunts. As Pitt put it, 'F1 is still the focus. It needs to be on Joshua Pierce and the rest of the team fighting for a championship.' But for now, fans can only imagine what might have been if Cruise had taken the wheel in Ford v Ferrari . Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Sky News AU
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
‘It's gonna happen': Tom Cruise set to revive a ‘really exciting' 90s blockbuster following success of Top Gun: Maverick
Movie buffs will be getting a sequel to another much-loved Tom Cruise film, with industry figures confirming a second Days of Thunder is in the works. It comes off the back of Top Gun: Maverick's worldwide success, with the film raking in almost $1.5 billion at the box office to make it the second highest-grossing film of 2022. Now, Cruise has his sight set on a sequel to Days of Thunder, more than three decades after the film first released in 1990. The co-producer of the F1 movie, Jerry Bruckheimer, confirmed an 'exciting' sequel was in the works. 'Well, there's always new technologies, there's always new ways to do things and to see things,' he told Entertainment Tonight. 'Tom is such a great individual – comes up with phenomenal ideas.' 'So, we'll have something really exciting for an audience once we pull it together.' Cruise first teased a sequel in an appearance on Today, when asked whether a third Top Gun could be in the works. 'All of these things we're working on,' he said. 'We're discussing Days of Thunder and Top Gun: Maverick. There are numerous other films that we're actively working on right now.' Hendrick Motorsports chairman and former NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon said he's 'all for' a Days of Thunder sequel. 'Let's do Days of Thunder 2, I am all for that,' he said. 'Tom Cruise has told me it's gonna happen, so let's make it happen.' The original 1990 film was a hit worldwide, earning $150 million at the box office and costing $60 million to make. Gordon said Days of Thunder's success greatly contributed to the growing popularity of NASCAR in the 90s, and hopes a sequel will do the same. 'When I came into NASCAR, Days of Thunder had just come out. It played a huge role in the growth of NASCAR,' he said. 'So let's bring it back.'
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brad Pitt Says His ‘Ford v Ferrari' Movie With Tom Cruise Got Axed After Cruise Found Out He ‘Would Not Be Driving Much in the Movie'
Brad Pitt is currently contemplating an 'F1' sequel, as Variety reported that Apple is already talking about a potential follow-up to the racing movie after its $144 million worldwide opening. 'I would want to drive again, selfishly speaking,' Pitt told The National about a sequel. 'F1 is still the focus. It needs to be on Joshua Pierce – Damson Idris's character – and the rest of the team fighting for a championship. Where does Sonny fit in? I'm not sure. Sonny's probably out on the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting speed records or something like that. So I'm not sure beyond that, just yet.' More from Variety Brad Pitt Says Young Actors 'Get Caught Up' in the Pressure to 'Have a Superhero' or 'Have a Franchise' and Tells Them: 'Don't! Don't! They'll Die' Brad Pitt and 'F1' Director Joseph Kosinski on Filming During Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: 'It Was Just Amazing' (EXCLUSIVE) Box Office: 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Aims for $100 Million Over July 4th Holiday 'Right now, I'm just pleased as punch that something like this can bring people together. That's the power of this kind of cinema,' Pitt added. 'F1' director Joseph Kosinski has already floated the idea of making a sequel that would reunite Pitt with his 'Interview With a Vampire' co-star Tom Cruise, who showed up to support his friend on the 'F1' carpet in London before the film's opening. The filmmaker went as far to say an 'F1' sequel could be a crossover with Cruise's NASCAR hit 'Days of Thunder.' 'Well, right now, it'd be Cole Trickle, who was [Cruise's] 'Days of Thunder' character, we find out that he and [Brad Pitt's] Sonny Hayes have a past,' Kosinski told GQ Magazine UK about his dream pitch. 'They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths. … I heard about this epic go-kart battle on 'Interview With a Vampire' that Brad and Tom had, and who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?' Kosinski originally planned to bring Pitt and Cruise together on the big screen in his own version of 'Ford v Ferrari.' The actors were going to do all of their own racing in the movie, but the studio would not approve Kosinski's desired budget. James Mangold ended up directing 'Ford v Ferrari' with Christian Bale and Matt Damon instead. Pitt told The National there was another reason their 'Ford v Ferrari' never took. 'Tom and I, for a while there, were on 'Ford v Ferrari' with Joe [to direct]. This was about 10 years before the guys who actually made it – and made it a great movie,' Pitt said. 'What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive, and [Tom] wanted to play Shelby, and I wanted to play Ken Miles. And when Tom realized that Carroll Shelby would not be driving much in the movie, it didn't come through. So I'm not sure how that's going to work [in a potential 'F1' sequel], but we'll give it a go. I'd love to.' For now, Pitt is just enjoying the success of 'F1,' saying: 'We were all a bit white-knuckled to see if it was going to come through. We are delightfully surprised that everything that we had aimed for, and then some, came to fruition.' 'F1' is now playing in theaters nationwide from Apple and Warner Bros. Best of Variety Oscars 2026: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Wagner Moura and More Among Early Contenders to Watch New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Sunday World
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Sunday World
What are the top motoring movies of all time?
As Brad Pitt's new F1 film hits cinemas, Daragh Keany picks his favourite motoring movies from over the years As Brad Pitt speeds onto our cinema screens for the highly-anticipated new F1 movie it got us wondering where it will sit in the rankings for the best motor movies of all time. Some of the early reviews would suggest it is worthy of a podium finish and is certainly better than some others that are out there. Let us never speak about Speed Racer again, deal? Here are the best big screen car movies in no particular order. The only criteria I applied is that they had to be set on a race trach and they had to be good. Matt Damon in Le Mans 66 Le Mans '66, also known as Ford v Ferrari (2019) This is a classic car movie dressed as a modern-day blockbuster and tells the story of Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and Ken Miles's (Christian Bale) early '60s attempts to build an American race car that could beat Ferrari at the 24-hour race at Le Mans. Bale gives one of his best performances as a mouthy, brilliant, no-bullshit engineer and driver, and Tracy Letts's turn as Henry Ford II alternates breathtakingly between macho bluster and weak-kneed awe, but the real stars of the show are the cars, often shot from the inside to create an incredibly immersive work. Cruise in Days of Thunder Days of Thunder (1990) Tom Cruise is no stranger to high-speed thrill seeking, having driven the Infiniti Red Bull Racing show car back in 2011, but his first major experience behind the wheel of a race car was in his 1990 film Days of Thunder. The American star played Cole Trickle, a young racing driver looking for success in NASCAR. Movie critics now describe it regularly as 'Top Gun on wheels'. Hemsworth and Bruhl in Rush Rush (2013) Ron Howard's biopic about the '70s rivalry between Formula One racers Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is over the top in every way. And I am here for it. As their rivalry and friendship develops the high-octane film takes viewers on a crazy journey that perfectly captures the danger (and allure) of racing. Ferrell and Reilly in Talladega Nights Talladega Nights (2006) Don't come at me because it's a comedy. One of Will Ferrell's biggest and best movies was this hilarious racing spoof, which followed the rise and fall and rise of a smug NASCAR champion racer, his complicated friendship with best pal and fellow racer John C. Reilly, and his rivalry with a pompous Frenchman played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Senna documentary Senna (2010) Successful, charismatic and with a career that ended in tragedy, Ayrton Senna's story was always going to be perfect for the silver screen. The beautifully-shot documentary depicts the career of the three-time Formula One World Champion from his early days at the karting track to his untimely death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. The film won multiple awards including two BAFTAs and currently has an impressive 92percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Grand Prix Grand Prix (1966) One of the first, and still one of the best motor racing films around today, Grand Prix tells the story of American driver Pete Aron, who becomes romantically involved with an ex-team-mate's wife. However, it's the racing scenes that really make this movie great. Cars were fitted with some of the earliest onboard cameras to capture some incredible racing footage from Monaco, Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. It also features cameos from F1 legends such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt, Jack Brabham and Graham Hill. Last American Hero The Last American Hero (1973) In Lamont Johnson's screen adaptation, Junior Johnson becomes Junior Jackson, a moonshine-running NASCAR pro played by a very young Jeff Bridges, hot off his career-making turn in The Last Picture Show (1971). An underappreciated Hollywood gem, The Last American Hero says more about the culture of the Deep South as it does about NASCAR racing. Gary Busey, Ned Beatty and Ed Lauter headline a top-notch supporting cast of character players too. Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari in Ferrari Ferrari (2023) Michael Mann's biopic about Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) is less about cars and more about racing and one's self-destructive drive to be the best. Enzo juggles life with his long-suffering wife (Penelope Cruz) and the woman with whom he's started another family (Shailene Woodley) and totally unhinged, deafening, and breathtaking racing sequences on the other end.
