These days, big studios are fighting it out with the likes of Netflix and Amazon when it comes to hot properties in the world of cinema. However, Apple isn’t one to be left behind and has recently nabbed a Formula 1 drama for itself, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski, as reported by Empire.
The pitch, untitled at this stage, features Pitt playing an older veteran of the Formula 1 circuit. Pitt’s character returns to the track after retirement as a mentor and teammate for a young, upstart driver. Apple reportedly paid between $130-140 million for the pitch, reportedly beating out competition from Netflix and Amazon, as well as Hollywood heavyweights like Paramount, MGM, and Sony.
The film will be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, with Lewis Hamilton attached as a consultant. Ehren Kruger will write the script, known best for his work on the Transformers series.
The film has already drawn comparisons with Driven, a 2001 film starring Sylvester Stallone in a similar role as an older driver returning to the CART championship to mentor a younger racer. The film was widely panned, and was a critical and commercial failure, grossing just $32 million versus a budget of $72 million. Notably, it featured a ridiculous sequence where the main characters drive stolen CART show cars through the streets of Chicago in an emotional tantrum.