Brad Pitt’s upcoming Apple-produced Formula 1 movie is generating a lot of buzz, especially after recent filming took place at the British Grand Prix. But the film has hit a snag. There's an ongoing Hollywood strike affecting production in the film, with the labor union SAG-AFTRA going on strike for the first time since 1980.
This sits alongside a Hollywood writers' strike that is also ongoing, with a vast number of productions and even premieres badly affected.
With filming set to gather pace for the Formula 1 movie, it looks like production may continue for longer than fans of F1 and movies had anticipated. The disruption means that planned filming at the Hungarian Grand Prix may not go ahead as planned.
Pitt Is A Loyal Member Of The Striking Union
Brad Pitt's Biggest Films
- Fury (2014)
- Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood (2019)
- Inglourious Basterds (2009)
- Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- 12 Years A Slave (2013)
The union on strike is The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Pitt himself is a loyal member of the union, hence why filming of the F1 epic is now paused.
The strike is focusing on issues of the payment of actors and artists, plus there are concerns about the use of AI within the production of movies. So until a deal gets reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, this strike will continue alongside that of the Writers Guild of America strike.
A source close to the production spoke to NBC about the impact of the strike on the F1 film, and said that “Brad had really enjoyed himself, but he is definitely a very loyal member of the union.”
The film currently doesn’t have a release date, but it is widely expected to land at some point in 2024, meaning the production team won't have to worry about letting fans down with an already-announced release window. How the halting of production impacts the filming of the F1 epic however isn't yet clear.
The production team was also rumored to be back in the F1 paddock for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix and potentially in Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix as well. However, it looks unlikely that will now happen so filming may not carry on until after F1’s summer break.
The summer break lasts four roughly four weeks, with the Belgian Grand Prix on July 30th being the last event before that break. With Zandvoort the first race after the break running from August 25th-27th, then there is a chance Pitt and company will return for that race.
The Formula 1 Movie Filmed At The British Grand Prix
Films Based Around Formula 1 And Racing
- Senna (2010)
- Rush (2013)
- Grand Prix (1966)
- Hitting the Apex (2013)
- Driven (2001)
- 1 (2013)
The movie, which as of the time of writing doesn’t have a title, was filming at the recent British Grand Prix. This marked the first time that the production team had been “on site” to film at a race.
An empty garage in the Silverstone pitlane became the garage of the fictional APXGP team that Pitt and his character will race for. Drivers and team bosses remarked how the setup looked even better than the ones that the actual teams used, due to how clean and well-organized it was.
This showed the commitment that director Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick fame has towards the movie. This even extends to the fact that the film is using real, modified Formula 2 cars to represent those of the fictional team. The production team worked with the Mercedes F1 team to create two black and gold cars that utilize the current Formula 2 chassis and engine while the bodywork is extensively reworked to closely resemble the current design of a Formula 1 car. The front and rear wings saw big changes, as did the side pods of the two race cars.
Stunt drivers undertook most of the driving across the Grand Prix weekend, but Pitt himself along with co-star Damson Idris also drove the two vehicles at various points. The pair drove when close, side-by-side formation driving wasn’t required. Pitt’s experience of racing motorcycles also helped him to quickly learn the racing lines for the Silverstone circuit.
The cars were also adorned with various cameras. These include on the roll-hoop where we usually find them on F1 cars as well as mounted to the helmets in front of the drivers to capture facial expressions and in-cockpit footage of the pair.
Lewis Hamilton Has Provided Huge Input For Apple’s Film
The level of commitment to the film is impressive, even more so considering that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is heavily involved in its production. Hamilton is acting as a producer for the film, lending his vast experience to the production team and helping them in their directing of the epic film.
Hamilton has his own film and TV company, Dawn Apollo, and that company is producing the movie while he supports it in his producer role. Hamilton has also spent time with director Kosinski to find the best camera positions around the Silverstone circuit.
With such a huge involvement from Hamilton, it's likely he will also appear in the film. There is no word yet whether this is as an actual star of the show, or as a cameo. The majority of the other drivers are likely to have a cameo at some point given the amount of filming taking place.
Pitt and Idris also took part in the buildup to the race at Silverstone on the grid, with their cars positioned at the back of the field and the two actors involved in the pre-race ceremonies. The pair were in full race gear and stood alongside the real drivers as the national anthem played out.
Formula 1 Hopes The Film Will Enjoy A Netflix Effect
Drive to Survive's Biggest Stories
- 2021 title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
- Red Bull leaving Renault for Honda in 2018
- The 2022 Oscar Piastria, McLaren/Alpine contract saga
- Romain Grosjean's 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix crash
F1 has seen a huge rise in popularity over the years, especially in the United States, with a lot of this driven by the Netflix series “Drive to Survive” which aired its first series in 2018.
While reviews for more recent series are somewhat mixed, the show is still popular. It has brought in a whole new generation of fans with a lot of those coming from the United States. That has ensured that the sport has grown in the country, and it now has an expanded calendar presence with Miami and Las Vegas joining the Grand Prix already held in Austin, Texas.
F1 boss Stefano Domenicali believes that the film will have this same impact, and it's certainly set to introduce some moviegoers to the world of F1. Having an actor like Pitt involved as well as having Hamilton as a producer is only going to raise its profile.
The success that Kosinski had with Top Gun: Maverick is a sign of what the Apple crew is aiming for. A release could come in late 2024, pending further Hollywood strikes, so we might get a trailer later in 2023.
Source: NBC News