In a recent interview reflecting on his work in F1: The Movie, actor Brad Pitt shared previously unknown details about an ambitious but unrealized project that once had both him and Tom Cruise attached—‘Ford v Ferrari’.

Pitt revealed that he and Cruise were initially considered for the biographical sports drama nearly a decade before its actual release. The project was to be directed by Joseph Kosinski, who would later go on to direct Top Gun: Maverick.

“Tom and I, for a while there, were on Ford v Ferrari with Joe [Kosinski] to direct,” Pitt said. “This was about 10 years before the guys who actually made it. And made it a great movie.”

According to Pitt, casting discussions centered around two iconic roles: Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles—legendary figures in auto racing history. However, both stars were adamant about driving on screen, and a conflict arose when Cruise realized that the role of Shelby involved minimal track time.

“What it came down to is that we both wanted to drive,” Pitt said. “Tom wanted to play Shelby, and I wanted to play Ken Miles. And when Tom realized that Shelby wouldn’t be doing much driving, it didn’t come through.”

While the version starring Cruise and Pitt never materialized, the film eventually found success with Christian Bale and Matt Damon, under the direction of James Mangold. Kosinski’s original vision was shelved due to budget constraints imposed by the studio.

Despite the setback, Pitt didn’t rule out working with Cruise in the future. He hinted at the possibility of reuniting for a sequel to F1: The Movie, which has stirred excitement among fans after the actors’ red carpet appearance.