Brad Pitt’s new Formula 1 movie is on rocky ground after it emerged that dodgy sponsorship deals could render hundreds of hours of footage useless. The project, which does not yet have a title, may now have to scrap hours of on-track footage from F1 events in the UK and Hungary.
Before the actors’ strike kicked off, the “Fight Club” actor had been hard at work shooting and producing the new Formula 1 movie, which has Lewis Hamilton on board as a producer to try and make it as realistic as possible. After being offered a garage space at Silverstone in the UK and the Hungaroring in Hungary for filming, the project’s footage is now under threat, according to a report from the Independent.
After resuming work on the movie following the SAG-AFTRA strike, it emerged that some of the “hours of footage, worth millions” could now be scrapped. The Independent reports:
But, despite the conclusion of the actors’ strike, which saw the SAG-AFTRA union protest contractual clauses related to royalties and the use of AI, it’s believed the film’s sponsorship deals have been forced to change, meaning its release has reportedly stalled.
This would mean that all pre-recorded footage is no longer permitted to be used, which would essentially render Pitt, Idris and director Kosinski’s time at Silverstone a waste of time.
Apple, which is financing the project, and a representative for Pitt were contacted by the newspaper, but neither commented on the issues that could be facing the film. However, a source close to the project told the British press that the footage was now “defunct.”
However, the change in sponsorship for the film might not be as terminal as some reports are making out. Product-placement deals and other forms of sponsorship are common across movie-making as it helps alleviate the cost of mega-budget films.
In the past, changing deals have hit blockbusters like James Bond, which had a change in Bond’s phone provider once the movie was wrapped. As such, scenes that showed the super spy’s phone were edited to include a newer Nokia phone instead of the old model that had been used when the film was first shot.
So while some shots with outdated sponsors may end up on the cutting room floor, I’m sure those clever people at Apple can whip up some movie magic to keep the on-track action on-brand.