All the efforts to get Brad Pitt to drive a modified F1 car and complete the shoot of the film as soon as possible seem to have failed. Lewis Hamilton has acknowledged that the Pitt-starred feature film on F1, which he is co-producing, will have a delay in completion. The Screen Actors Guild strike has been the primary factor behind this delay.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike in mid-2023 over the issue of inadequate pay and better working conditions. This halted the production and shooting of several movies in Hollywood.
Pitt and Hamilton‘s feature film was no exception, as it disrupted shooting plans in the second half of the 2023 season. The SAG-AFRTA ended this strike on November 9th. However, this is not going to help Hamilton and Pitt’s film production timeline as the F1 season is over.
According to RaceFans.net, the Mercedes maestro mentioned an updated timeline on the estimated date of completion for the film. He said, “Probably early 2025, I would imagine, with the post-work they’d have to do. So it’s been delayed a lot.”
This will push the release of the movie too, till the middle part of 2025 probably. There were plans to shoot a scene at the Las Vegas GP this year, but they had to scrap it. This has extended the production and more filming will take place across the 2024 season.
Is Lewis Hamilton and Brad Pitt’s F1 blockbuster out of danger?
Amid all the uncertainty with the strike, things looked concerning for the F1 feature film (working title: Apex). There were rumors that Lewis Hamilton and his producers may have to scrap production altogether. Although, since the strike has ended, the British F1 champ is reassuring people that things are getting back in place.
Hamilton is a producer for this movie alongside Top Gun Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer. With the film centered on F1, the seven-time champion is helping and consulting on the creative side too, helping out with story and scripting.
There are also speculations that Hamilton may feature in the movie in some role, though it is not yet confirmed. With Apple securing the distribution rights, Hamilton has been positively vocal about getting the right backing for his ambitious project.
Lewis Hamilton suggested the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt “might cost a little bit more” as a result of a delay caused by the writers’ strike #F1https://t.co/0uZIZ6CVRf
— Speedcafe.com (@speedcafe) November 22, 2023
Despite the impact of the actors’ strike, he reassured, as quoted by Crash.net, “We’ll keep pushing along. It’s still going to be great, might cost a little bit more but I am really confident in what Jerry [Bruckheimer] is going to produce.”
Actors have faced issues across the world following the Hollywood strike. Film productions have been delayed and halted. Creative processes have been disrupted. Financially this has been a double-whammy for movie studios as well as the actors and writers.
Coming back to Hamilton’s movie, the Briton is aware of these challenges. Yet, he brings his optimism to this situation too, striving to make things better for the people involved in his project.
Hamilton also stated that he is not worried as they know what their objectives are with this feature film. He said, “There are nerves, naturally, because it’s something we’ve been working on for so long and we want everyone to love it and to really feel that we encapsulate what the essence of this sport is all about.”
