Brad Pitt Reveals He Almost Starred in a Racing Movie with Tom Cruise Before ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Took a Different Route

The Oscar winner reflects on missed projects, franchise fatigue, and why he still wants to get behind the wheel—even if it’s not in a superhero suit.

Brad Pitt nearly burned rubber alongside Tom Cruise—long before F1: The Movie hit theaters. In a candid new interview with The National, the two-time Oscar winner shared that he and Cruise were originally attached to an early version of Ford v Ferrari, over a decade before the critically acclaimed film made it to screen with Christian Bale and Matt Damon.

“Tom and I, for a while there, were on Ford v Ferrari with Joe [Kosinski] to direct,” Pitt revealed. “We were both eager to drive. He was eyeing Shelby, and I was set on playing Ken Miles. But when Tom realized Carroll Shelby wouldn’t be behind the wheel much, it just didn’t move forward.”

The film eventually found its footing under James Mangold, with Bale and Damon taking the leads. But the idea of Cruise and Pitt teaming up on the track still lingers in the minds of fans—and apparently Pitt’s too.

As his high-octane drama F1 speeds into theaters with a global opening haul of over $146 million, Pitt remains open to revisiting the racing genre, albeit with one eye on the rearview mirror. While he acknowledged the potential of a Days of Thunder sequel—Cruise’s 1990 NASCAR drama—he clarified that a continuation of F1 would need to spotlight Damson Idris’ character, Joshua Pierce. “Sonny [his character] probably ends up on the Bonneville Salt Flats setting speed records,” Pitt joked, suggesting his arc might be complete.

Beyond the racetrack, Pitt also took a moment to reflect on how the film industry—and its stars—have evolved. Speaking on the New Heights podcast, he said today’s generation of actors embraces opportunities that would’ve once been considered “selling out.”

We were a little more uptight. You didn’t sell out. Now it’s like, ‘We can be artists in many different arenas—let’s enjoy it,’” he said. Still, Pitt offered a cautionary word on franchise obsession: “This idea that they have to have a franchise or be a superhero—I keep going, ‘Don’t, don’t. You’ll die.’”

Despite that, Pitt admits he’d happily return to the wheel for another F1 installment—just not as the centerpiece. “F1 is still the focus. It needs to be on Damson’s character and the team. My part? Who knows.”

Whether it’s speed demons or Oscar dramas, Brad Pitt clearly still has gas in the tank—and no shortage of opinions on Hollywood’s shifting gears.

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