Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt almost met on the racing track long before the latter’s starring turn in F1. Pitt’s new Formula One movie is directed by Top 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, F1 is 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’s Interview with the Vampire. Pitt recently expressed his desire to work with Cruise in 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 with F1 than with drinking blood and brooding.
Brad Pitt & Tom Cruise Almost Starred Together In 2019’s Ford v Ferrari
Rather Than Cruising Into Theaters, It Got Stuck In The Pitt Lane
In an interview with Extra, 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 taken Christian Bale’s role. Additionally, this unmade version of Ford v Ferrari would have been directed by Top Gun: Maverick and F1‘s Joseph Kosinski.
Pitt doesn’t say exactly why he and Cruise never got Ford v Ferrari – then known as Go 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 (via ScreenDaily), explained how a high budget was the prohibitive factor that stopped Go Like Hell getting made during those early stages when Cruise and Pitt were in the driving seats.
Our Take On Brad Pitt & Tom Cruise’s Ford v Ferrari Not Happening
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’s Ford v Ferrari could have become a spiritual predecessor to Top Gun: Maverick and F1. 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 Picture at the 2020 Oscars, Ford v Ferrari clearly did something right.
It could also be said that Joseph Kosinski making Ford v Ferrari with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise would 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 a Top Gun sequel, while Pitt may have been less inclined to make F1. Perhaps the hand of cinematic destiny made the right call on this occasion.
Sources: Extra, ScreenDaily
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Tom Cruise
- Birthname
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THOMAS CRUISE MAPOTHER IV
- Birthdate
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July 3, 1962
- Birthplace
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Syracuse, New York, USA
- Height
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5 feet 7 inches
- Notable Projects
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Edge of Tomorrow, Oblivion, Mission: Impossible, Top Gun
- Profession
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Actor
Discover the latest news and filmography for Tom Cruise, known for Top Gun and Mission: Impossible.
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Brad Pitt
- Birthdate
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December 18, 1963
- Birthplace
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Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA
