Brad Pitt says ‘Ford v Ferrari’ film with Tom Cruise was scrapped after Cruise learned he wouldn’t be driving much

Published on Jul 09, 2025 at 12:31 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson

Last updated on Jul 08, 2025 at 1:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

Brad Pitt just revealed why his Ford v Ferrari movie with Tom Cruise never made it to the finish line.

According to the F1 star, Cruise lost interest the moment he learned his character wouldn’t spend much time behind the wheel.

Both were set to star in a version directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, but it got shelved – reportedly for budget reasons.

Now we know Cruise’s reaction also played a big part in parking the project for good.

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Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise’s Ford v Ferrari fell apart before it ever got started

Brad Pitt told The National he and Tom Cruise were lined up to star in Ford v Ferrari nearly a decade before the final version hit theaters.

He was set to play Ken Miles, the British racing driver at the heart of the story. Cruise wanted to play Carroll Shelby, the man behind the legendary GT40.

But there was a catch.

“What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive… and when Tom realized that Carroll Shelby would not be driving much in the movie, it didn’t come through,” Pitt said.

Director Joseph Kosinski – who now helms Apple’s F1 movie – had big plans for the film, including having both actors do their own driving.

But when it wasn’t to be, years later James Mangold made the film with Matt Damon and Christian Bale, to great acclaim.

And whether it was Tom Cruise, the budget, or a mixture of both that sank the original project, Pitt seems to have no hard feelings. In fact, he’s already teasing future team-ups with Cruise.

Could a crossover bring Pitt and Cruise back on track?

Kosinski, riding high after the F1 movie’s success, has floated the idea of a racing universe where Cruise’s Days of Thunder character crosses paths with Pitt’s Sonny Hayes.

The plot? A sequel that shows the two as old rivals – possibly inspired by a legendary go-kart battle they had while filming Interview With the Vampire.

“I heard about this epic go-kart battle… who wouldn’t pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?” Kosinski told GQ UK.

While Pitt admits he’s not sure where his character would fit into a sequel, he said he’d love to return – even just to drive again.

For now, he’s just celebrating the success of F1, which earned $144 million at the global box office and is already being talked about as a franchise starter.

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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.