EXCLUSIVE: Heat director Michael Mann is getting closer to the start line on Ferrari and is in Italy this week as part of pre-production. Filming is due to commence in mid-July and members of the crew are on the payroll.
The feature is set during the summer of 1957. Ex-racecar driver, Ferrari, is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing ten years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning for one son and the acknowledgement of another. He decides to counter his losses by rolling the dice on one race – 1,000 miles across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia.
Star Wars and House Of Gucci actor Driver replaced Hugh Jackman in the title role while Parallel Mothers star Cruz will play Enzo’s wife Laura. Big Little Lies star Woodley will play mistress Lina Lardi.
STX committed to domestic distribution of the project during the EFM but as part of the recent sale had to cut a number of staff from its distribution team. Now that the sale has gone through we understand there will be more hires to make sure movies can be properly released.
STX also handles international rights. As we revealed in previous reporting on the project, Amazon is aboard in a handful of international markets. Leone is releasing in Italy.
Mann will direct from a script by Troy Kennedy Martin (The Italian Job) and Mann based on Brock Yates’ book Enzo Ferrari – The Man and the Machine. The filmmaker is also producing via his Moto Productions banner alongside P.J. van Sandwijk and Birdman producer John Lesher, as well as Lars Sylvest, Thorsten Schumacher and Gareth West with Niels Juul executive-producing.
