Christian "Bales" on Enzo

I think the confusion for the Enzo movie comes from the fact that they already tried to make an Enzo movie and Deniro was already slated to him in that movie. The movie was never made. I am working from a foggy memory so I could be wrong

 

I was very disappointed in "Rush." I think the Enzo story should be made by somebody who deals more in character than in effects.....perhaps a European director. Someone could make a great movie about him without a single crash scene. Get the right writer and director, then worry about who gets the starring role.

 

Racing movies have a history of not making money or big money. Rush came together when the one on Phil Hill was trying to come together. With the financial history of racing based efforts only one comes to fruition while "the industry" waits to see how the box office does. Now if one were to happen that does a great box office then more will go into production based on "proven success" of a genre.

The Phil Hill movie has had some A list/near A listers attached at times but even that couldn't get it a green light.

I remember talking to Sydney Pollack abut his desire to do the Enzo movie. That was a bit over 20 years ago. Apparently this Michael Mann directed effort is the fruition of that. Sydney did have Hollywood clout but couldn't get it pulled together.

The other Ferrari movie is based upon Goes Like Hell. Don't expect that both movies get made. More likely one will, if any, move forward and the other waits to see the results.

The Rush domestic box office numbers versus production cost don't look wonderful.

Jeff

 

I agree with you, but the Phil Hill movie was to be based upon "The Limit" by Michael Connell, with Tobey Maguire in the starring role. The book is as much about Von Trips as it is about Hill. I'm glad the movie wasn't made because I believe it wouldn't have done justice to Phil's life.

"Go Like Hell" by AJ Baime is more about the Ford-Ferrari battles at Le Mans and is a real page turner.

 

I've communicated with Michael Cannel about his book. He really thought it had a chance to get made into a movie. Maguire was viewed to be sufficient in the Hollywood hierarchy to be able to get a green light. As soon as Rush got pulled together it moved The Limit to the sidelines. Last I knew, Patrick Dempsey, had picked up the rights.

 

About halfway through "The Limit" I got the distinct impression that it was written with a movie deal in mind.

 

Well if my memory serves me, I remember several years ago there was a rumor of a F1 film that reflects Gilles Villeneuve's life story and Ferrari.... Does anyone else remember this?

 

There's also a movie being worked on that focuses on Ferruccio Lamborghini's life...def interesting movie times as far as Italian exotics are concerned.

 

Rush did okay worldwide though box office of $97 million versus a budget of $38m. It was always going to be more popular in the big F1 markets like the UK than it was in the States.

I would have thought a Ferrari bio pic would have more appeal in the States than a historical F1 rivalry.

 

I think Frank Vincent looks more like Ferruccio Lamborghini than Enzo Ferrari.

To be honest, I think Michael Mann should go the route that George Lucas took with the original Star Wars cast and go with relatively unknowns. You never know...there could be a future star in the works.

Bill P.

 

Rush results per IMDb
Budget
$38,000,000 (estimated)

Gross
$26,947,624 (USA)
$90,247,624 (Worldwide)
$63,300,000 (Non-USA)

They should have made their money back but it wasn't a spectacular success either. First time I saw the non-US box office. 2 1/2 times the US number.

Do recognize that gross is Box Office not what goes to the owners of the movie.

At least it did well enough to not kill the genre.

 

The old Frankenheimer´s Grand Prix movie of the 60´s was also a flop in the US but worked quite well in the rest of the world. I suppose that it´s because Formula 1 is popular everywhere but in the US.

 

Yes. They should cast him. Every protagonist needs a villan.

Known actors will get the non-car masses into theaters. A good storyline/screenplay will get those people interested in the brand.
Without those two you'll just have another niche sport bio-pic that didn't make much money.

 

LOL. True. He probably researched the gross from the past few "racing" movies and saw little $$$ in it for him.