F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Drops Big Clue On Brad Pitt Formula One Movie Release

The release date has been pushed further due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Lewis Hamilton expects that the release of the Formula 1 film, supposedly named "Apex" and featuring Brad Pitt, might be pushed back, potentially to 2025. This postponement is a result of disruptions caused by strikes in Hollywood's writers' and actors' unions earlier this year.

The ambitious collaboration between Hollywood icon Brad Pitt and Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, intended to capture the essence of Formula 1 racing, has encountered unexpected setbacks. The project has been forced to pause and undergo a reset, primarily due to industry-wide strikes and the accompanying drama.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) initiated its first strike since 1980, engaging in a dispute over compensation and the utilization of Artificial Intelligence in productions. The strikes led to the suspension of numerous film and TV productions, including Apex.

Fortunately, SAG-AFTRA members recently approved a deal with the studios, bringing an end to the strikes that persisted for five months. However, the delay has impacted the release date of Apex, with Hamilton stating that the launch could go well into 2025. When asked for a release date, the seven-time world champion told the media:

“Probably early 2025, I would imagine, with the post-work they’d have to do. So yeah, it’s been delayed a lot.”

The hurdles in filming have led to various kinds of production problems, including the cancellation of filming a scene that was said to take place at the Las Vegas inaugural Grand Prix. With little progress made this year, much of the production has been postponed to 2024. 

Despite the roadblocks, Director Jerry Bruckheimer, who worked on films such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Top Gun, displayed his support to the workers who went on strike. 

Speaking of the scenes that have been filmed already, they include clips from the Hungarian and US Grands Prix as the fictional APXGP team was spotted on location. Brad Pitt was also spotted filming scenes at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix weekend.