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2019 was one of the greatest years in cinema this century. Sure, many of us look back at 2019 in a fond light for ... particular reasons, but that year boasted some remarkable films to define the end of the 2010s decade. Whether you look at the Best Picture winner "Parasite," which recently topped the New York Times' 21st century list, or Martin Scorsese's stunning achievement that was "The Irishman," that year's crop of Best Picture nominees really stood out. One of the more interesting nominees for Best Picture that year came in the form of James Mangold's effortlessly entertaining drama, "Ford v Ferrari," which starred Matt Damon and Christian Bale.

"Ford v Ferrari" tells the true story of automotive designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who are both hired by Ford's CEO Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) and vice president Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal...

The race car driver is an inherently intriguing figure -- and an inherently cinematic one. Like any great film protagonist, they are obsessed, focused, and single-minded on their one goal. They've got lots of high-stakes obstacles in their way, and they will do anything to see that checkered flag wave at the end of their journey.

Is it any wonder, then, that racing movies have provided us with some of the most stunning visuals and attention-grabbing thrills throughout filmdom? Time and time again, we drive to the cinema to watch someone else drive (probably a lot faster than us), and time and time again, we are entertained and moved, and we find ourselves Googling something like "used Pontiac Gto how much" when we get home.

If you're an automotive junkie looking for some speedy entries into the racing canon, make a pit stop here and look no further. Here are...

After helming two Wolverine movies for 20th Century Fox, James Mangold returned to the studio to direct Ford v Ferrari. Considered one of the best sports racing biopics of all time, the Mangold-directed movie will be added to Hulu come July.

Beginning July 1, Ford v Ferrari will be available to stream on Hulu. With Apple and Warner Bros. set to release F1 in theaters on June 27, Hulu subscribers have the opportunity to partake in an action-packed sports double feature, so long as they are willing to head to their local cinema to take in the Brad Pitt-led Formula 1 movie before returning home to press play on Ford v Ferrari. Released in 2019, Ford v Ferrari was a critical and commercial success, earning 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing over $225 million worldwide, respectively.

The biographical sports drama film follows a determined team of American and English engineers and designers, led by...

Amazon Prime Video is adding a wide array of crowd-pleasing recent and not-so-recent classics to its film library this April. The month’s streaming additions include several justifiably beloved 21st century hits, as well as a few blockbusters that have the power to sweep viewers away and make their hearts race. Near the end of the month, one acclaimed 2024 film that deserves a far larger audience than the one it received last year is finally coming to the service as well.

Here are TheWrap’s picks for the best new movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video in April.

“Ford v Ferrari” (20th Century Fox) “Ford v Ferrari” (2019)

A handsomely crafted sports drama, director James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari” throws viewers into the world of midcentury European racing with heaping helpings of humor and heart. Starring Matt Damon as real-life American racer and automotive designer Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale...

Ford and Carroll Shelby won three more 24 Hours of Le Mans titles after 1966. Shelby worked with Dodge in the 1980s after parting ways with Ford. Shelby died in 2012 at the age of 89.

The award-winning film Ford v Ferrari chronicles the true story of a team of automotive designers, including Shelby Carroll, hired by Henry Ford II to create a race car that could beat the Italian racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, in the mid-1960s. The 2019 biographical sports drama, directed by James Mangold and written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller, stars Matt Damon as Carroll, a famous automotive designer and former race car driver. Carroll raced professionally for eight years (1952 to 1960) before he retired due to health problems, but he wasn't about to give up on racing altogether.

Ford v Ferrari is available to stream on Hulu, fuboTV, and Sling TV.

Ford v Ferrari begins with Ford tasking...

Dee Bryant jams on the gas as her Mustang rockets forward toward a line of plastic bollards at the Irwindale Speedway. Suddenly, she takes her foot off the gas. The growling car whips around 180 degrees in a perfect arc.

Veteran stuntwoman Bryant is a top driver and a rare Black woman rising through the ranks. She has doubled for Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington, and Regina King, among many others. She’s here demonstrating the prowess of the Mustang as the iconic car turns 60.

It has appeared in more than 5,000 films and TV shows. Steve McQueen charging through the streets of San Francisco in his 1968 Mustang Gt is in every sense of the word, iconic.

Steve McQueen in 1968’s “Bullitt.”

From “John Wick” to “Gone in 60 Seconds” to “Charlie’s Angels” to thousands of other productions, “the producers want the Mustang because it creates a symbol. You know, they don’t...

Leo Beebe, portrayed as the main antagonist in Ford v Ferrari, was actually a respected executive at Ford known for his marketing and motivational skills. The decision to have a photo finish at the expense of Ken Miles' win is attributed to Beebe in the movie, although the real decision maker is unknown. According to Beebe's friends, the film's portrayal of him as an ego-driven and unlikable character is far from the truth; they describe him as a tough, yet inspiring and highly regarded individual.

Ford v Ferrari is based on a true story with real characters, but was Leo Beebe really that bad? Directed by James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari is part of a long lineage of car movies. The film tells the story of the American automotive designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) who teams up with the British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to build a race car...

In Michael Mann’s heady, intricately dark, raptly absorbing “Ferrari,” there’s a quiet scene that takes place the night before the Mille Miglia, the spectacular 1,500-kilometer motorsport endurance race. Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), the Italian sports-car magnate who needs to win the race (the survival of the company that bears his name depends on it), has five drivers who are scheduled to compete. In a kind of calm-before-the-storm ritual, several of them write notes to their romantic partners, telling them how much they love them, just in case they don’t survive the race.

This is no mere superstitious formality. In the Mille Miglia, the possibility of crashing and burning, as the cars zoom at 150 kilometers per hour through the open roads of Italy, is all too real. That’s the ominous underside of racing’s power. The speed is thrilling because it represents a challenge to the universe,...

Biography films are a fascinating genre that depict the lives of real people, often with dramatic and artistic flair. They can inspire us, educate us, entertain us, and challenge us to think about the world in new ways. Some of the most acclaimed and influential films of all time belong to this genre, and they span across different eras, cultures, and themes.

In this article, we will rank the 10 best biography films of all time, after the release of Oppenheimer in 2023. Oppenheimer is a biographical film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. The film has been praised for its stunning cinematography, complex narrative, and powerful performances. It is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2023, and a masterpiece of biographical cinema.

But what are the other films...

Historical accuracy is a hot-button topic in movie biopics. The truth of a historical person's life doesn't always make for a good story, as certain details might drag down an otherwise clear story or be impractical to film. At the same time, it can be bad for a biopic's reputation if it omits too many details or makes things up.

Biopics like Lincoln, Schindler's List, and 12 Years a Slave stand out for how accurate they are. Their events might lend themselves well to filmmaking, or the writers might have a deft touch with incorporating real events. Either way, the biopics manage to tell the historical facts in a gripping way without changing, omitting, or adding too much.

Related: 10 Biopics With Perfect Casting

Lincoln

Lincoln tells the story of one of America's most famous presidents. It adapts some of the most thrilling events around Abraham Lincoln that don't take place in the American Civil War.

The Lamborghini is one of the most prestigious car brands in the world, yet few know the story of its conception but thankfully the lack of information is a thing of the past now, thanks to Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend. Starring Frank Grillo, the new Lionsgate movie chronicles the life of Italian entrepreneur and carmaker Ferruccio Lamborghini.

The movie is not only perfect for gearheads but also for those fascinated with the behind-the-scenes happenings of the automotive industry. As such, perfect recommendations for those looking for something similar to watch would involve biopics that follow individuals who were part of the business and engineering side of the car-making arena.

Ford V Ferrari (2019) Stream On HBO Max

In order to end Ferrari’s dominance in the Le Mans competition, Henry Ford II hires automotive engineer, Carol Shelbey to build a race car. Kevin Miles—who is one of the...

Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. And watch your speed, unless you want to be breaking news.

2019’s Ford v Ferrari is a gearhead’s movie. A speed freak’s movie. A Ford man’s movie. Keep your Chevys in the garage and your Found-On-Road-Dead jokes to yourself while the Shelby Ford GT40 screams down the straightaway like a rocket. The film is based on the effort of designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles to rudely knock Ferrari off its throne at Le Mans. Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca made it a grudge match to embarrass Enzo Ferrari after he flipped them off in a failed buyout.

The film stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale, which means it was halfway to success from the green flag. It got quite a lot of...

How refreshing is it to have a new movie about cars and it's not called Fast & Furious? Dominic Toretto and his 'family' have always had a monopoly when it came to cars on the big screen. It's nice to see something different that's also based on real-life events. Ford v Ferrari stars Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby, a gifted automotive engineer, and Christian Bale as Ken Miles, a circuit-racing maestro. The two are pons in the battle for supremacy between American tycoon Henry Ford II and Italian sports car maker Enzo Ferrari.

Related: Ford v Ferrari: 10 Matt Damon Characters Ranked From Heroic To Most Villainous

It's a masterpiece but so was 2013's Rush. In the latter, Chris Hemsworth put down Thor's hammer to play James Hunt, a British playboy, and dexterous Formula One driver. Hunt had a great rivalry with Austrian driver Niki Lauda who is portrayed by...

Ford v Ferrari stars Matt Damon as the driver-turned-engineer Carroll Shelby, and Christian Bale as Ken Miles, a war veteran and maestro behind the wheel. The two are weapons in the battle for supremacy between American automobile tycoon Henry Ford II and sports car founder Enzo Ferrari. The movie tells the real-life story of how Shelby and Miles developed a racing car for Ford that eventually ended Ferrari's dominance at the popular Le Mans competition.

Related: 10 Things About The Making Of Ford V Ferrari That You Never Knew

But make no mistake. Ford v Ferrari isn't a movie about engineering. Racing is what takes center stage and it's so good that the movie received a nomination for Best Picture from the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences. But is it entirely factual? Well... not entirely. let's take you through what's real and what's not.

Might we be underestimating Christian Bale at the Oscars? He has earned four nominations and one win in just the last 10 years, and his performance as real-life racer Ken Miles in “Ford v Ferrari” is looking more and more like a threat for a Best Actor bid this year. History has proved that it’s perilous to underestimate him, especially when he’s playing a historical figure.

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Though Bale had already put together an impressive resume by then, he didn’t get his first Oscar nomination until “The Fighter” (2010), for which he won Best Supporting Actor. He quickly followed that with a Best Actor bid for “American Hustle” (2013), another Best Supporting Actor nom for “The Big Short” (2015), and then he was back in the Best Actor race with “Vice” (2018).

All of those happened to be biographical roles. We know Oscar voters love those,...

Exclusive: Twentieth Century Fox/Chernin Entertainment’s Ford V Ferrari has revved its engines past the $200M mark globally, accelerating to $200.6M through Monday. The split is $106.6M domestic and $94M at the international box office. Disney is handling the awards-season contender that reps the sort of movies Fox has excelled at making.

Directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon, Ford V Ferrari has been one of the biggest original films in the U.S. this year, spending seven weeks on the Top 10 domestic chart during a crowded corridor.

Critics have hopped along for the ride with a 92% Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it an A+ CinemaScore.

Fvf debuted at Telluride, then played Toronto and other festivals, beginning domestic and overseas rollout in mid-November. It still has further majors to come including Japan (January 10) and China (date to be determined).

Titled Le Mans ’66 for...

Tracy Letts has a juicy supporting role in James Mangold‘s new film “Ford v Ferrari” as Henry Ford II, owner of the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s. Letts is also co-starring in Greta Gerwig‘s new film “Little Women,” his latest collaboration with the director after “Lady Bird.”

Letts recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Zach Laws about what drew him to “Ford v Ferrari,” the appeal of working with directors like Mangold and Gerwig and what’s happening with his new stage play, “The Minutes.” Watch the exclusive video chat above and read the complete transcript below.

SEEJack Mathews: Is ‘Ford v Ferrari’ about to make Oscar history?

Gold Derby: Tracy, what’s so interesting about this movie is that the big selling point is that there’s a big race at the end of it, but really it’s about the relationship between these two...

Exclusive: Director James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari centers on a rivalry born of automotive history, racing lore and mutual disgust. Teaming awards-season veterans Matt Damon and Christian Bale, its star power fueled the pic’s $195 million worldwide gross, but its screenplay helped drive the action on and off the track.

The script from Jez Butterworth (Spectre) & John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow) and Jason Keller (Escape Plan) is stacked with racing thrills and color, plus no shortage of colorful characters. The dialogue is crisp and true, but often it is the script’s unspoken language that roars. For example: “Shelby’s blood beats in his ears. He takes a ragged breath. Road ahead looks like blurry hell. No armco barriers, no escape lanes, just cliff edge and trees lining the road.”

Read the full script here.

Titled Le Mans ’66 for many racing-mad European audiences who might more familiar with the true story,...

There was a moment in film history when male actors adhered to the traditional expectations of stardom: Masculine swagger, overconfidence, chiseled good lucks that dare not reveal a sensitive side. Based on this year’s greatest performances, that time is gone for good. Many of the best male lead performances of the year revealed fragile, insecure characters grappling with the changing world around them, even if many of them came from movie stars.

This time last year, there were a lot of famous actors in the spotlight. The world was swooning over Bradley Cooper’s tragic rock star Jackson Maine in “A Star Is Born” while Rami Malek overcame the controversies of “Bohemian Rhapsody” to become an Oscar frontrunner. At the same time, cinephiles celebrated one of Ethan Hawke’s greatest performances in “First Reformed” and Steven Yeun’s progression into a major acting talent with Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning.

If justice is done, James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari” will soon make history as the first of more than one hundred movies about the sport of auto racing to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It’s not that Oscar has been unkind to racing movies, it’s that “FvF” is the first one that deserves to be included.

I was an auto racing executive in the late Sixties to the mid-Seventies and knew some of the people involved in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans that is the focus of Mangold’s movie, and it gets the tone, period and competitive nature of the drivers right. It also does justice to the relationship between car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British-American driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) who are the center of the story.

A close friend and former associate of mine named Bob Thomas knew...

Tracy Letts says he’s driven by the need to tell stories that showcase humanity. It’s a need that earned him a 2008 Pulitzer Prize for “August: Osage County” and led to his current Broadway play, “Linda Vista,” about a 50-year-old divorcé (played by Ian Barford) in the midst of a midlife crisis. Letts also brings the human touch to his acting roles; he won a Tony Award as George in the 2012 Broadway revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” His many on-screen credits include playing the dad of Saoirse Ronan’s character in Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-nominated film “Lady Bird.” Currently, Letts appears as Henry Ford II, heir to the Ford Motor Co., in James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari.”

How did you come to play the role of Henry Ford II?

James Mangold had talked to me about playing a part in a Patty Hearst movie. That project got abandoned,...

There’s a scene in James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari that had Tiff audiences almost rolling in the aisles. Tracy Letts as Henry Ford II is persuaded by Matt Damon’s Caroll Shelby to take Ford’s latest racecar for a spin, but the bossman is vastly underprepared for the reality of 100mph. When the car finally stops, all his gravitas turns to childlike sobs. But then the real brilliance of Letts is that within seconds, we go from laughing to crying along with him. Aside from this iconic role, he also has a turn in Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig, with whom he made Lady Bird.

Deadline: Is it true that you did that crying in the car scene in one take?

Tracy Letts: It wasn’t a one-take. In fact, we did many, many takes. It’s just that apparently James used the first take.

‘Ford v Ferrari’

It was no-contest between Fox/Chernin Entertainment’s Ford v Ferrari and Sony Pictures’ Charlie’s Angels reboot at Australian cinemas last weekend.

Paradoxically, James Mangold’s drama based on the 1966 Le Mans race between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari opened marginally below the Us but streets ahead of Elizabeth Banks’ Charlie’s Angels which, however, outperformed the dismal Us bow.

Exhibitors were hoping for more from both titles. “Things are difficult in cinema land at the moment,” says Wallis Cinemas’ soon-to-depart programming manager Sasha Close. “It seems audiences might be waiting for the big Disney films, with Frozen 2 opening on November 28 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker launching on December 19.

“Both Ford v Ferrari and Charlie’s Angels fell slightly short of our estimates. Whilst Ford v Ferrari may be propelled along for a few weeks by good word of mouth and reviews, the Charlie’s Angels reboot...

Christian Bale and Matt Damon’s racing drama “Ford v Ferrari” is set to win the weekend box office by a long shot with an esimated $29 million from 3,528 domestic locations.

Elizabeth Banks’ “Charlie’s Angels” reboot could land in a distant second in its debut weekend with about $8.2 million, but the second frame of Roland Emmerich’s “Midway” may come out on top, with about $8.6 million.

“Ford v Ferrari,” which stars Bale and Damon as British driver Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby, respectively, took in nearly $11 million on Friday. Directed by James Mangold, the Fox film follows the pair as they attempt to build a car that can beat Ferrari at the behest of Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) in the 1960s. Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller wrote the script, and Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone, and Ray McKinnon also star. Critics have favored the film,...

Big-time stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale take on the big screen in competitive roles, as they tell the story of the racy world inhabited by two big shot businessmen, Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari. Through action-packed scenes and crisp close ups of polished actors and wheels, the sports drama keeps its viewers’ blood […]

The post ‘Ford V Ferrari’ Movie Review Roundup: Matt Damon & Christian Bale Race To The Finish Line appeared first on uInterview.

The thrill of driving a car at high speeds is one that many share. At the same time, the sport of auto racing is hard to compelling depict on screen. Car chases are a cinematic staple, but that’s a completely different beast. More often than not, racing movies focus as much on the humans as the machines. In the case of the new film Ford v Ferrari, there’s a strong balance between the two elements. Featuring some incredible technical work below the line, as well as a surprising sense of fun, this flick has more to offer than most other outings of this ilk. I’ve been pondering this one for over a month, hence waiting until the day of release to write about it, but the more I think on it, the more I find myself liking it. The film is a sports drama, centered on a...

Ford v Ferrari is showing plenty of speed in its North American debut, while Charlie's Angels can't take flight.

James Mangold's period race car pic — starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon — grossed $10.9 million on Friday from 3,258 theaters for a projected debut in the $28 million to $30 million range, ahead of expectations for 20th Century Fox and Disney. The movie, which has major Oscar ambitions, landed a coveted A+ CinemaScore from audiences.

Ford v Ferrari tells the real-life story of the two men who, in 1966, helped Henry Ford II and his Ford Motor ...

Ford v Ferrari is showing plenty of speed in its North American debut, while Charlie's Angels can't take flight.

James Mangold's period race car pic — starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon — grossed $10.9 million on Friday from 3,258 theaters for a projected debut in the $28 million to $30 million range, ahead of expectations for 20th Century Fox and Disney. The movie, which has major Oscar ambitions, landed a coveted A+ CinemaScore from audiences.

Ford v Ferrari tells the real-life story of the two men who, in 1966, helped Henry Ford II and his Ford Motor ...

Racing drama “Ford v Ferrari” sped to $2.1 million on Thursday night, while Sony’s “Charlie’s Angels” reboot pulled in a modest $900,000.

The earnings for “Ford v Ferrari” are in the same range as “Terminator: Dark Fate,” which took in $2.4 million on its way to a $29 million debut on Nov. 1-3 for Paramount.

“Ford v Ferrari” is expected to win the weekend handily with as much as $20 million at 3,528 venues in North America. The Disney-Fox film follows an eccentric team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who are dispatched by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build a new vehicle to defeat the dominant Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans world championship in France.

“Ford v Ferrari,” directed by James Mangold and produced by Chernin Entertainment, has generated 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, which has a $100 million price tag,...

James Mangold's Ford v Ferrari is driving up some serious Oscar buzz. Based on real-life events, the film chronicles the story behind Ford Motor Co.'s conquest to outperform every car on the racetrack.

In a move to secure the company with the fastest cars, Ford made an offer to buy Ferrari and its fleet of race cars in 1963. Just before the deal was to close, however, Enzo Ferrari pulled out, disagreeing with Ford's demand to retain financial control.

The sudden change of plans fueled Henry Ford II to create his own engine, one that would not ...

James Mangold's Ford v Ferrari is driving up some serious Oscar buzz. Based on real-life events, the film chronicles the story behind Ford Motor Co.'s conquest to outperform every car on the racetrack.

In a move to secure the company with the fastest cars, Ford made an offer to buy Ferrari and its fleet of race cars in 1963. Just before the deal was to close, however, Enzo Ferrari pulled out, disagreeing with Ford's demand to retain financial control.

The sudden change of plans fueled Henry Ford II to create his own engine, one that would not ...

Matt Damon as racing car builder Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles in Ford V Ferra Ri. Photo courtesy of Fox Studios.

Ford V Ferrari tells the unlikely but true story of the Ford Motor Company, the American maker of family cars, challenging Ferrari, the legendary Italian sports car maker, in one of the most difficult races in Europe, the 24-hour Le Mans, in the golden era of racing cars. But you don’t have to be a racing fan or a gear-head to enjoy this thrilling tale, since it is really about the people behind (and in) the cars, bonds of friendship and the struggle of underdogs, a tale set in the era of American know-how and individualism, as two men set out to snatch glory from the reigning king of racing.

It isn’t really Henry Ford II, the head of Ford Motor Company and grandson of the founder,...

James Mangold’s Ford V Ferrari is an old-school odyssey, sensationalized by burnt rubber, colliding pigheads, and grease stains. Based on a true story, it contrasts the openness of the road with the restrictiveness of the destination, and while a great deal of its hostility rightfully rests in the laps of assembly line ringleaders, much of the film feels similarly contrived by rehashed nuts and bolts.

However, this strange contradiction makes sense in conversation with its arena. Ford V Ferrari seeks pure cinematic gold when it comes to being voluptuously entertaining, a benchmark it surpasses on several occasions. This is partly because the film is spearheaded by two cases of pleasantly zesty acting – courtesy of the remarkably untapped chemistry between Matt Damon and Christian Bale – as well as an entire ensemble of fine supporting performers. But it’s mostly because the rhythmic velocity of the action is so crisply composed...

This post contains Spoilers for “Ford v Ferrari,” starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale

A good chunk of James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari” is devoted to a diligent recreation of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and it all leads to a climax that, if you don’t know anything about it, feels almost too strange to be real.

The real life Le Mans ’66 ended with a historic finish: Ford trounced the frontrunner Ferrari as all three Ford cars crossed the finish line in a dead heat. But there’s some additional drama in the “Ford v Ferrari” portrayal. In the film’s telling, once it becomes clear Ford will win, Ford executives, including Henry Ford II, realize that having all of its cars finish at the same time would make an excellent PR stunt — so they instruct driver Ken Miles (Bale) to slow down his pace to let...

Legendary automobile designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) teams up with legendary race-car driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to defeat an epic foe, as brought to thrilling life in Ford v Ferrari. Based on a true story, the dramatic thriller unfolds primarily through the keen eyes of the designer and the driver as they prepare under deadline pressure for a 24-hour endurance contest, pitting the Ford Motor Company, guided by Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) and Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal), against...

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Maybe it’s too much to expect a film titled “Ford v Ferrari” to really touch on anything beyond the heart-pounding 24 hours of 1966’s legendary Le Mans auto race in France, upon which the film is based.

But with a staggering two-and-a-half-hour runtime, you’d think director James Mangold (with writers Jason Keller and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth) would have delved more deeply into the interior lives of its two protagonists, played by Christian Bale and Matt Damon, in order to ground their narrative in something other than adrenaline and testosterone.

There’s certainly lots of opportunity to do so, especially through the intriguing friendship between sports-car engineer and driver Ken Miles (Bale), who competed in the historic race, and driver and car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon), who had previously hired Miles as a test driver before eventually bringing him on board to represent Ford Motor Company at Le Mans.

“When I read a script, all I’m looking for is quality of writing,” reveals Tracy Letts. Although he admittedly doesn’t know much about cars or racing, he does know a thing or two about writing as a Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning playwright. So he was instantly drawn to “Ford v Ferrari” because of “the human element … We understand what all of the principle characters have invested in this outcome of the race.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Letts above.

See Tracy Letts (‘Ford v Ferrari’): He’s a real supporting Oscar contender with Matt Damon and Christian Bale both going lead

Directed by James Mangold, the 20th Century Fox release tells the true story of how Ford Motor Company drafted expert racer Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and ace auto designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) to create a car that could challenge champion Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans race.

Fox/Chernin Entertainment’s Ford v Ferrari, an original movie aimed at older males about the 1966 Le Mans race between Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari, will lay claim to the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office with a $20 million, maybe even $30M+ start. That will stop Sony’s franchise reboot of Charlie’s Angels in its tracks with its lowest opening in the series — $10M-$12M per industry estimates at 3,400 theaters.

The first two Charlie’s Angels movies, which starred Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu and were directed by McG, opened to $40.1M (2000’s Charlie’s Angels) and $37.6M (2003’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle), respectively.

Also this frame comes New Line/Bron Studios’ Bill Condon-directed Helen Mirren-Ian McKellen movie The Good Liar, which is tracking in the low-single digits. If it’s lucky and finds its much older 60+ audience, the pic could...

Vroom! You can feel the power thrumming under James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari — and that’s a shock because this thunderously exciting true story is based on a stuffy business proposition. Back in the 1960s, Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) determined to beat Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone) at his own game by building a hot, fast race car — the GT40 — that could win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, pitting American crass against Italian class.

Luckily, Mangold fuels his true-life plot with enough flesh-and-blood action to leave to leave you dizzy.

This time last year, 20th Century Fox was riding high as “Bohemian Rhapsody” was in the midst of a theatrical run that would finish with $903 million grossed worldwide and four Oscars. But as the now Disney-owned studio prepares to release the acclaimed “Ford v Ferrari” into theaters, their fortunes have completely soured.

In 2019, the studio has not released a single film with a domestic total of over $100 million, with the top-grossing film being January’s “Alita: Battle Angel” with $85 million domestic and $403 million worldwide. After Fox’s merger with Disney was completed in March, the studio released “Dark Phoenix,” a film that ended Fox’s “X-Men” series on a huge bomb with just $252 million grossed worldwide against a $200 million production budget and pushing Fox into an operational loss of $170 million in its first financial quarter under Disney.

Also Read: 'Ford v Ferrari' Film Review: Christian Bale and...

Christian Bale and Matt Damon try to put the pedal to the metal in James Mangold’s racing drama.

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You have to really get invested in a story that essentially boils down to “boys and their toys” if you intend to fully enjoy Ford v Ferrari, director James Mangold’s old school drama about real-life racing champs Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and Ken Miles (Christian Bale). The pair bonded as friends and innovators to create a car--bankrolled by the Ford Motor Company--that was meant to best the formidable fleet of Enzo Ferrari at the punishing 24-hour Le Mans race in France.

Working from a script by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow) along with Jason Keller (Escape Plan), Mangold crafts something formidable himself: a two-and-a-half-hour character drama in sync with his previous character studies, such as Walk the Line and even the superb Wolverine send-off Logan.

Writer-director James Mangold plays the Hollywood studio game well enough to build allies who believe in him. While at Fox, studio chief Emma Watts backed X-Men installments “Wolverine” and “Logan” and Oscar-winner “Walk the Line.” That made greenlighting $100-million sports saga “Ford v Ferrari” less of a risk, but it’s the kind of movie that studios don’t care to bank these days. The true story behind the legendary 1966 Le Mans race floundered in development for decades before Mangold started chasing it in 2011. (Fox handed him “Wolverine” instead.) When Michael Mann and Joseph Kosinski’s versions fell apart, Mangold was ready to pounce.

He pushed the movie forward thanks to Oscar-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale, who were lured by the strong script (by “Edge of Tomorrow” writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth and “Machine Gun Preacher” writer Jason Keller).

The end result passed muster with new Fox owner Disney,...

Writer-director James Mangold plays the Hollywood studio game well enough to build allies who believe in him. While at Fox, studio chief Emma Watts backed X-Men installments “Wolverine” and “Logan” and Oscar-winner “Walk the Line.” That made greenlighting $100-million sports saga “Ford v Ferrari” less of a risk, but it’s the kind of movie that studios don’t care to bank these days. The true story behind the legendary 1966 Le Mans race floundered in development for decades before Mangold started chasing it in 2011. (Fox handed him “Wolverine” instead.) When Michael Mann’s version fell apart, Mangold pounced.

He pushed the movie forward thanks to Oscar-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale, who were lured by the strong script (by “Edge of Tomorrow” writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth and “Machine Gun Preacher” writer Jason Keller).

The end result passed muster with new Fox owner Disney, which sent the film to Telluride and Toronto.

Auto racing legends Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby get a high octane Hollywood tribute in Ford V Ferrari. Director James Mangold assembles an all-star cast to adapt their epic upset at the 1966, 24 Hours of Le Mans. Equal parts character development, burnt rubber, and historical drama, Ford v Ferrari is a glorious tale of true competition. The film ironically runs a sluggish space at times to reinforce the stakes for everyone involved. Ford v Ferrari will have you shifting gears in your seat, laughing more than expected, and possibly shedding a few tears.

In 1963, race car driver Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) had transitioned to automotive design and specialty manufacturing because of health issues. He was approached by Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal), a marketing executive at the Ford Motor Company with a stunning offer. Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) had lambasted his executives for declining sales and a general poor reaction to new Ford cars.

Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch for 2019 and the Newport Beach Film Festival’s Fall Honors recipients were feted on Sunday. In a partnership with Visit Newport Beach and Variety, the celebration was held at a brunch at the Resort at Pelican Hill where stars like Cynthia Erivo and Glen Powell dined against a stunning beachfront backdrop.

The first Nbff Award of Distinction was presented to “Big Bang Theory” alum Melissa Rauch. “I dreamed about being in this field for as long as I can remember,” said Rauch, thanking everyone who has supported her in that dream along the way.

The next Award of Distinction went to Tracy Letts, who can be seen in two upcoming films, “Little Women” and “Ford v Ferrari,” where he plays Henry Ford II. “You needn’t have bothered with ‘Distinction,’ you could have said ‘Artist’ and I would have flopped up here like a seal,...

That sound you just heard was Tracy Letts‘s Oscar campaign revving up for “Ford v Ferrari.” Since it premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, pundits have speculated about the category placements for stars Christian Bale and Matt Damon, who co-headline this true-life racing drama about an expert driver (Bale) and auto designer (Damon) working to create a car to compete in the 1966 Le Mans tournament. But now that both are confirmed to be campaigning as leads, the road is cleared for Letts to earn his career-first nomination for his juicy supporting turn as Henry Ford II.

See ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Q&a: James Mangold and his crew on how building a champion car is like building a movie [Listen]

Letts is no stranger to awards. He’s a multi-hyphenate who won a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award in 2008 for writing his play “August: Osage County,” plus an acting Tony for...

Take a look at more footage from the feature "Ford v Ferrari" (aka "Le Mans '66"), directed by James Mangold ("Logan"), starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale ("Batman Begins"), Caitriona Balfe ("Outlander"), Jon Bernthal ("The Punisher"), Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone and Ray McKinnon, opening November 15, 2019:

"...an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary 'Carroll Shelby' and his Brit driver, 'Ken Miles'...

"...are dispatched by 'Henry Ford II' and 'Lee Iacocca' with the mission of building the 'Ford GT40', a new racing car with the potential to defeat the perennially dominant 'Ferrari 'racing team at the 1966 '24 Hours of Le Mans' race in France..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Ford v Ferrari"...

In today’s film news roundup, early estimates are in for “Ford v Ferrari” and “Charlie’s Angels,” Jenn Murray receives an honor and the documentary “Human Nature” gets distribution.

Early Tracking

Disney-Fox’s “Ford v Ferrari,” starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon, is heading for a North American launch in the $23 million to $27 million range, early estimates showed Thursday.

“Ford v Ferrari” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released by Disney on Nov. 15. Critics have been impressed with a current 88% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Bale and Damon will both campaign in the lead actor category for awards for their work. “Ford v Ferrari” follows an eccentric team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby (Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Bale), who are dispatched by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build an entirely new vehicle...

Christian Bale and Matt Damon will both campaign in the lead actor category for awards for their work in Fox’s upcoming “Ford v Ferrari,” Variety has learned.

“Ford v Ferrari” follows an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby (Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Bale), who are dispatched by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build an entirely new vehicle with the potential to finally defeat the perennially dominant Ferrari at the 1966 Le Mans World Championship in France. “Ford v Ferrari” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released by Disney on Nov. 15.

Bale has been nominated for four Academy Awards and won in the supporting category for “The Fighter.” He was nominated for “The Big Short,” “Vice” and “American Hustle.”

Damon has been nominated for five Academy Awards and won one for original screenplay for “Good Will Hunting.

"Ford v Ferrari" (aka "Le Mans '66") is the racing feature, directed by James Mangold ("Logan"), starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale ("Batman Begins"), Caitriona Balfe ("Outlander"), Jon Bernthal ("The Punisher"), Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone and Ray McKinnon, opening November 15, 2019:

"...an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary 'Carroll Shelby' and his Brit driver, 'Ken Miles'...

"...are dispatched by 'Henry Ford II' and 'Lee Iacocca' with the mission of building the 'Ford GT40', a new racing car with the potential to defeat the perennially dominant 'Ferrari 'racing team at the 1966 '24 Hours of Le Mans' race in France..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Ford v Ferrari"...