Tom Cruise Dropped Out of ‘Ford v. Ferrari’ over Driving

With an “F1” sequel inevitable after its blockbuster opening for Apple, rumors are swirling that the film may race into theaters with not just one but two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise have been frequently mentioned in the same sentence over the last month — and it has been over 30 years since the pair appeared onscreen together in “Interview with a Vampire.” Pitt and Cruise almost starred in “Ford v. Ferrari,” actually — but Cruise dropped out when, according to Pitt, he found out he would not be spending very much time behind the wheel.

“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 told The National. “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.”

Now, there’s a shot that Cruise’s “Days of Thunder” character may end up in an “F1” follow-up, as director Joseph Kosinski said in an interview with GQ Magazine UK.

“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. They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths,” Kosinski said, adding, ‘Who wouldn’t pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?”

In discussing what would need to be included in the sequel, Pitt’s demands were clear.

“I would want to drive again, selfishly speaking… 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,” Pitt said.

“F1” has become an unqualified box office hit, grossing $161 million in just its first week of release. With the film likely to add much more to its total over the long Independence Day weekend, it has already become the first major theatrical success for Apple’s fledgling film studio. Pitt made it clear that he’s not taking the movie’s unique appeal for granted.

“The greatest pleasure – the thing that puts a smile on my face — is seeing families, from kids to grandparents, big groups of friends all going together and taking photos in front of the poster or the car. It’s a rarity for film to reach that level of reaction, especially in this day and time. I think the value of entertainment can sometimes be greater than the piece itself. And I think that’s happening here,” Pitt said.