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Racing enthusiasts and movie buffs alike are revving their engines in anticipation for the high-octane sports drama, F1, scheduled to hit theaters in June 2025. While details have been closely guarded since filming concluded, director Joseph Kosinski has offered a glimpse into what makes this Brad Pitt-led blockbuster distinct, especially when compared to his other recent action hit, Top Gun: Maverick.

From Fighter Jets to Formula 1: Kosinski on Similarities and Stark Contrasts

Reuniting with key members of his Top Gun: Maverick team, including producer Jerry Bruckheimer and writer Ehren Kruger, Kosinski acknowledges the parallels between the elite worlds of fighter pilots and Formula 1 drivers. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he noted, "They are the rock stars of their own universe. And obviously, they both have a need for speed."

However, Kosinski highlighted a fundamental difference in the filming environments that profoundly impacted production. "On Top Gun, we were off on an aircraft carrier 100 miles off the coast," he explained. "This movie we shot in front of an audience of 400,000 people."

The Challenge of Realism: Filming Amidst Live F1 Action

The production team aimed for intense realism, striving to avoid the artificial feel of actors performing against green screens. This commitment involved consulting with real Formula 1 drivers, some of whom appear in the film. Notably, racing legend Lewis Hamilton serves as a producer, lending his expertise to the project.

Capturing authentic racing action presented unique hurdles, particularly when filming during actual F1 events. Kosinski described the immense pressure of extremely limited shooting windows. "Often, I had only a few minutes to shoot a scene because we were actually shooting it at the real live event," he revealed. "There was a stage-play-esque vibe to this where we had to be very well-prepared, but execute in the moment and only get a few takes at a scene."

"We would often have five to 10 minutes, a very, very short window, to shoot a scene," Kosinski elaborated. "Only getting two or three takes is something that we're not used to. It was more live performance, and we had to get it right." He expressed admiration for the crew and cast's ability to perform under pressure, believing this intensity translates on screen. "You feel it in the performances. There's an energy and an adrenaline pumping through when shooting in a real situation that, hopefully, I was able to capture."

Inside the Cockpit: Cast Immersion and High-Speed Experiences

The film stars Brad Pitt as veteran driver Sonny Hayes, who mentors a young prodigy, Noah Pearce, played by Damson Idris. The cast also features talents like Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Shea Wigham, and Javier Bardem.

Damson Idris shared his own journey into the world of high-speed racing for the role. "The feeling I felt before was absolute fear," he admitted. "But at the end of it, driving up to 180 miles per hour, going from track to track around the world, is an opportunity that I could never have dreamed of." The experience became all-consuming: "You start to go to sleep and dream of the corners. You just build a real confidence due to the time and repetition going around the track." While mastering speed and turns came naturally, Idris humorously noted, "The hardest thing for me was actually getting a car started. The clutch is a hand clutch."

F1 Movie Details

• Release Date: June 27, 2025
• Director: Joseph Kosinski
• Writers: Ehren Kruger
• Producers: Brad Pitt, Chad Oman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jeremy Kleiner, Lewis Hamilton, Joseph Kosinski, Dede Gardner
• Cast:
  • Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes
  • Damson Idris as Joshua 'Noah' Pearce
  • Kerry Condon as Kate
  • Javier Bardem as Ruben
  • Tobias Menzies
  • Shea Wigham
  • (And many others)