Tom Cruise made a thrilling surprise entrance at the London premiere of "F1," gracing the red carpet alongside Brad Pitt as the duo, both A-list giants of cinema, posed gracefully for cameras. This event marked a long-awaited reunion, 31 years in the making, since their co-starring roles in Neil Jordan's iconic 1994 horror film, "Interview with the Vampire."
Earlier this month, Pitt stole the spotlight at the Mexico premiere of "F1" when he told E! News that he would welcome the opportunity to act opposite Cruise once more, albeit with a slight reservation about matching Cruise's penchant for gravity-defying aerial stunts. With a wry smile, Pitt joked, "Well, I'm not about to dangling my bits off airplanes or anything like that. So, when he's back on solid ground, count me in."
Both Cruise and Pitt are currently leading the charge for two of the summer movie season's most anticipated blockbusters. Cruise reprised his role as Ethan Hunt in May's "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning," which shattered franchise records with a global opening weekend haul of $200 million. The Paramount-backed action spectacle has since amassed an astonishing $540 million and counting. Meanwhile, Pitt stars in Apple and Warner Bros.' racing thriller "F1," helmed by Cruise's "Top Gun: Maverick" director, Joseph Kosinski. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer's fingerprints are also evident on both films.
Kosinski recently disclosed to GQ magazine that he had originally envisioned reuniting Cruise and Pitt on the silver screen for his take on the racing drama "Ford v Ferrari," but unfortunately, the studio declined to greenlight the ambitious project due to budget constraints. Both Cruise and Pitt were eager to perform their own driving stunts, a feat Pitt ultimately achieved in "F1." Instead, James Mangold directed "Ford v Ferrari," starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon.
When asked by GQ about what might have been had Cruise starred in "F1" instead of Pitt, Kosinski commented, "Tom always pushes the envelope, yet he's incredibly competent and highly skilled. They both possess a natural talent behind the wheel. But, yeah, I could envision Tom giving us all a few more heart-stopping moments."
"F1," starring Pitt, races into theaters on June 27.
