Brad Pitt Says Tom Cruise Ditched ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Over One Shocking Detail

By Chukwudi Onyewuchi on July 4, 2025 at 10:15 AM EDT

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Brad Pitt is finally setting the record straight on why his highly anticipated collaboration with Tom Cruise in "Ford v Ferrari" never happened.

The two Hollywood heavyweights were initially set to star in the racing drama, but the project hit a roadblock before it could take off.

According to Pitt, things fell apart because the 62-year-old was dissatisfied with his role. The actor shared that Cruise walked away after he found out his character wouldn't be doing much driving, bringing their collaboration to a halt.

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Brad Pitt On Why Tom Cruise Left 'Ford v Ferrari'

Brad Pitt at Los Angeles premiere of 'Once Upon a Time In Hollywood'
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In a candid interview with The National, Brad Pitt confirmed that he and Cruise had been eyeing the lead roles in "Ford v Ferrari" under director James Mangold, not Joseph Kosinski, well before the film eventually hit the screens in 2019.

"Tom and I, for a while there, were on 'Ford v Ferrari' with Joe [to direct]. This was about 10 years before the guys who actually made it — and made it a great movie," he recalled.

However, Cruise ditched the movie after he found out his character wouldn't be behind the wheel so much.

"What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive, and he wanted to play Shelby, and I wanted to play Ken Miles. And when Tom realized that Carroll Shelby would not be driving much in the movie, it didn't come through," Pitt said.

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Eventually, the roles of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles were played by Matt Damon and Christian Bale, respectively.

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Brad Pitt Shares His Thoughts On Collaborating With Cruise

Tom Cruise is seen leaving an office building in Holborn.
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Years after their failed "Ford v Ferrari" collaboration, Pitt opened up about possibly teaming up with Cruise again.

Speaking exclusively to E! News in an interview that aired on June 12, Pitt said he would consider working with his "Interview with the Vampire" co-star, but only on one condition.

The Grammy Award winner said the project must stay "on the ground" and not involve Cruise's signature death-defying stunts.

"Well, I'm not gonna hang my -ss off airplanes and sh– like that," Pitt joked. "So when he does something again that's on the ground," he noted, making it clear that he was ready to reconnect, but with boundaries.

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Brad Pitt And Tom Cruise Reunite On The Red Carpet

Tom Cruise at the 'Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning' Mexico Premiere
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Days later, Pitt and Cruise sparked a wave of nostalgia and excitement when they reunited on the red carpet at the London premiere of "F1: The Movie" on June 23.

The event marked their first public appearance together in over three decades since they co-starred in the 1994 classic "Interview with the Vampire."

Photos shared by Cruise on X showed Pitt looking dapper in a green double-breasted suit, a crisp white shirt, and flashy orange glasses.

On the other hand, the film producer opted for a charcoal-gray suit, a gray shirt, and his signature aviator sunglasses.

Guests watched as the two icons shared a warm embrace, posed arm in arm, and flashed big smiles for the cameras.

"Great night at the movies with my friends!! You guys crushed it," Cruise captioned the pictures.

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Pitt Debunks Rumors Of An 'F1: The Movie' Sequel

Brad Pitt at the Babylon Paris Premiere at Le Grand Rex cinema
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Since the premiere of "F1: The Movie," there have been reports of a sequel in the works.

While chatting with The National, Brad Pitt admitted wanting to return in a sequel. "I would want to drive again, selfishly speaking," he said.

However, the actor wasn't sure of the possibility, considering his character, Sonny Hayes, left Formula One racing by the end of the story.

"F1 is still the focus. It needs to be on Joshua Pierce, Damson Idris' character, and the rest of the team fighting for a championship. Where does Sonny fit in? I'm not sure," Pitt said.

"Sonny's probably out on the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting speed records or something like that. So I'm not sure beyond that, just yet."

Pitt Talks About The Success Of His Film

Brad Pitt at Los Angeles Premiere Of Apple TV+'s 'Wolfs'
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA

Meanwhile, Brad Pitt continues to enjoy the success of his movie. He told the outlet that he always wanted to make a unique blockbuster and never imagined that "F1: The Movie" would be that film.

"I had always wanted to make a populist film, something that just gets better every time you see it. Something that brings people together. And I still didn't understand that this could be that one," he said.

According to him, the best thing was seeing how families reacted to even posters.

"The greatest pleasure, the thing that puts a smile on my face, is seeing families, from kids to grandparents, big groups of friends all going together and taking photos in front of the poster or the car," Pitt shared.

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