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Posted in: Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: F1: The Movie, film, joseph kosinski, Warner Bros
F1: The Movie Director Discusses Misdirects and Sonny's Story
Director Joseph Kosinski reveals that F1: The Movie had an alternate ending, but the film’s true focus was always the journey, not the trophy.
Article Summary
- Director Joseph Kosinski reveals F1: The Movie nearly had an alternate ending with Damson Idris's character winning.
- The film stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a retired driver making a Hollywood-style comeback on the F1 circuit.
- Kosinski discusses how the film's focus is on the journey and mentor-protégé dynamics, not just who wins the race.
- Predictable or not, the movie captivates with adrenaline, emotion, and the spirit of classic sports stories.
Joseph Kosinski, the director behind Top Gun: Maverick, is no stranger to high-octane storytelling—and his latest film, F1:The Movie, delivers more of that signature cinematic adrenaline. Starring Brad Pitt as a retired driver returning to the grid and Damson Idris as his ambitious young teammate, the film combines Hollywood spectacle with the realism of actual Formula 1 races, and it's quickly earned a solid reputation with critics and audiences. But in a recent interview with GQ, Kosinski revealed that the film originally had more than one possible ending. Well, kind of.
Joseph Kosinski Reveals the Alternate Ending (or Misdirect) for F1: The Movie
"We actually did shoot an ending with Damson winning as well… Where he went up there, and held [the trophy] up," Kosinski says, before second-guessing himself. "Did we shoot it with the cameras? I feel like we just staged it to try to throw people off." Had Idris's character taken the win, it would've cemented a new era for the team. Instead, the chosen ending doubles down on Hollywood tradition—rewarding the comeback story of someone who still has something to prove. Still, Kosinski isn't bothered by the predictability. "Fans could've probably guessed that Sonny would win that final race, anyway — it's pretty much the rule of any satisfying, popcorn-friendly sports movie that the hero is going to overcome the odds and emerge victorious," he adds. But who cares? Movies are more about the journey than the destination."
It's a classic filmmaker move—leaving room for misdirection (anyone remember the Scream 2 situation?). While Idris's character is the clear rising star, F1: The Movie ultimately focuses on the redemptive arc of Pitt's character, Sonny Hayes, making his underdog win feel all but inevitable. In a way, Kosinski's comments confirm what many viewers already sensed: the outcome of the final race may be predictable, but that's hardly the point. F1: The Movie is a movie about momentum—physical, emotional, and narrative. But its heart lies in the human dynamics between mentor and protégé.
For those of you who have seen the film, what do you think would have made the strongest ending?
F1: The Movie is in theaters everywhere.
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