Brad Pitt Reveals He and Tom Cruise Almost Starred in Ford v Ferrari Together

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Did you know that there was an alternate version of the highly successful and critically acclaimed movie “Ford v Ferrari” in development, which would have featured Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise together? As per Pitt himself, it was just a hair’s breadth away from becoming a reality. With his latest racing film, “F1,” currently enjoying success, Pitt is sharing behind-the-scenes stories about the almost-made “Ford v Ferrari.

Brad Pitt recently had an extensive discussion with The National regarding the phenomenal success of his 2025 film release. In a casual manner, he revealed that Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise were initially connected to an early draft of Ford v Ferrari, over a decade back. It appears that both actors were genuinely enthusiastic about the project, but it apparently disintegrated due to a significant revelation on Cruise’s part.

For some time, Tom and I had planned to collaborate on Ford v Ferrari, with Joe as the director. This was approximately a decade before the film was eventually made and garnered critical acclaim. The main issue was that we both desired roles behind the wheel – Tom wanted to portray Carroll Shelby, while I wished to play Ken Miles. However, when it became clear that Carroll Shelby would not be driving extensively in the movie, Tom lost interest in the project.

Picture Pitt playing the determined, unyielding racer Ken Miles, while Cruise takes on the role of the charming yet focused automobile designer Carroll Shelby. Envision them locked in a fierce competition, navigating through mechanical stress and corporate obstacles to challenge Ferrari. This depiction might have been compelling, but unfortunately remains a hypothetical scenario in Hollywood’s realm of “what could have been.

Furthermore, it’s intriguing to learn that the decisive factor was who would take the driver’s seat. If the star of Mission: Impossible couldn’t be the one in control, he seemed unenthusiastic, and indeed, this aligns perfectly with our understanding of the man who enjoys skydiving for leisure.

Although that original attempt didn’t last, the project eventually resurfaced many years later, this time starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale as the leads. Their performances were truly remarkable. Directed by James Mangold, it went on to achieve significant commercial success and garner widespread critical praise.

The actor who portrayed The Legends of the Fall acknowledges the film with praise, labeling it “excellent.” Now, after much anticipation, F1 has debuted, providing Brad Pitt with a high-energy, audience and critic-satisfying blockbuster success, though Eric Eisenberg at TopMob may have found some sports movie tropes less appealing, as detailed in our F1 review. Following nearly four decades in the film industry, he considers it the epic he’s long aspired to create.

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Pitt hasn’t stopped entertaining grand ideas, as he shared with The National that he would be thrilled for another collaboration with Cruise. Their last project together was over 30 years ago, the horror classic “Interview with the Vampire”. Pitt seems optimistic about a potential reunion between these two Hollywood heavyweights, possibly even for an F1 sequel that links back to “Days of Thunder”. Aware that Cruise wouldn’t consider it without a steering wheel, Pitt is eager to give it a shot.

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise weren’t featured in Ford v Ferrari, but the Hollywood scene continues to twist and turn, and I’m eagerly anticipating a possible reunion for them, perhaps through a follow-up F1 film reminiscent of Interview with the Vampire.

With regards to the ongoing “F1” movie, you can catch it in the cinemas right now. Do remember to look up your local cinema schedules for screening times. On a different note, if you have a Hulu subscription, you can stream “Ford v Ferrari” from the comfort of your home.

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2025-07-06 18:07