Hollywood almost gave us the sexiest racing movie ever made—until two of its biggest stars hit the brakes.
Imagine this: Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, burning rubber side by side, tearing up the track in Ford v Ferrari. The energy, the ego, the horsepower — it was all there. But it wasn’t meant to be. According to Pitt himself, the iconic duo nearly headlined the hit racing film a full decade before it was finally made. So what happened?
In a revealing new interview with The National, Brad Pitt shared the high-octane backstory behind the project that got away. He and Cruise were once attached to star in the adrenaline-fueled drama about America’s legendary battle against Ferrari at Le Mans. Joe Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) was set to direct, and all systems were go — until the script pumped the brakes on Cruise’s role.
“We were both locked in,” Pitt explained. “Tom wanted to play Carroll Shelby, I wanted to play Ken Miles. We were ready to roll.”
But there was one major issue: Shelby didn’t get much time behind the wheel.
“When Tom found out he wasn’t going to be driving much, it didn’t land,” Pitt said with a smile. “We both wanted to be behind the wheel. We’re adrenaline junkies — what can I say?”
Cruise ultimately bowed out, and the project lost momentum. Years later, it was revived with Christian Bale and Matt Damon — delivering a critically acclaimed film, but leaving fans wondering what could’ve been.
Now, with F1: The Movie having just raced into theaters — starring Pitt himself as retired driver Sonny Hayes — the actor still has speed on the brain. While he says a sequel isn’t likely due to his character’s story arc, Pitt teased a different kind of reunion: one that could bring Cruise back into the driver’s seat.
“I’d love to do something again with Tom — maybe even revisit Days of Thunder. That world still has so much left in the tank,” Pitt said, referencing Cruise’s 1990 NASCAR classic, which is reportedly being eyed for a sequel.
As for where Pitt’s Sonny Hayes would go next? “He’s probably out on the Bonneville Salt Flats breaking speed records,” Pitt mused. “I like that image.”
So while Ford v Ferrari never became the Cruise-Pitt fantasy film it could’ve been, the dream of Hollywood’s two most fearless stars sharing the fast lane isn’t dead just yet. Buckle up — because if these two ever do reunite on the track, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
Cruise. Pitt. Asphalt. Ego. Speed. The showdown the world still wants to see.