New Senna film ‘in development’

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In the round-up: Another film on the life of Ayrton Senna is in development.

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Rodrigo Santoro Confirms He’s Developing an Ayrton Senna Biopic; Film Would Be Made in Conjunction with Senna’s Family (Collider)

“The biopic is most likely still a few years away (if it ever comes to fruition), but it’s nice to know that it’s being developed with a great deal of respect and caution.”

“Villeneuve pure momentum, Fernando the best of all” (Ferrari)

Luca di Montezemolo: “Villeneuve was amazing in terms of momentum. But then, his temperament would cost him points and that would affect his standing at the end of the season. Alonso, especially in the races, is the best driver in the world.”

Gilles – in the mould of Nuvolari (Peter Windsor)

“Most of all, though, I shall miss seeing Gilles drive. So long as Gilles was practising, or was still in the race, there was always someone to watch, someone to laud. Sure, he was over the top sometimes. For every mistake, though, he would drive the next few laps sublimely.”

Montezemolo: Spain crucial for Ferrari (Autosport)

“What I want is a more competitive car in Spain, and then we can go for it this season. This is what I’ve asked because we have a nice development program beyond Spain.”

McLaren try out higher nose (Sky)

“Pictures have emerged suggesting that McLaren ran a higher nose design during the Mugello test.”

Comment of the day

Nige.B was at Zolder in 1982:

I went to this race, on the Sunday only but I can remember quite clearly sitting on the coach and the courier announcing that Gilles had died. The whole atmosphere changed on the coach to a very sombre mood. A great driver and a great loss to motorsport. Very sad.
Nige.B

From the forum

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On this day in F1

The day after the tragedy at Zolder, John Watson won the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. Here’s the review of the race published here yesterday:

Image © Williams/Sutton

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57 comments on “New Senna film ‘in development’”

  1. JPQuesado (@joao-pedro-cq)
    9th May 2012, 0:03

    The film industry has definitely rediscovered Formula 1.

    1. nope, just Senna

      1. What about Rush then?

        1. Or the film about Jackie Stewart and Francois Cevert?

          1. PM, what are the details about the Stewart & Cevert film? That is one I would be very interested in seeing.

          2. @adam-tate – I don’t know too much about it, to be honest. Autosport had an article on it about two weeks ago, but I don’t have access to their Premium content. It does, however, confirm that Jackie Stewart is involved in the project. The Scottish Sun interviewed Cevert’s Sister, Jacqueline Beltoise, and it appears that she approves of the film going ahead. And Jackie Stewart has (allegedly – it’s being reported by a tabloid) said that “I don’t know who will be playing me – but Ewan McGregor would be an awfully good choice”.

            Other than that, there are no details that I can find. For now, it appears that the film has merely been proposed rather than green-lit and has no writers, directors or producers attached. If it does get green-lit, then I expect the decision will hinge on the success of Rush.

    2. i have it on good authority that “sports films don’t do well. people want to see the real thing.”

      1. That’s probably why there are 6 Rocky movies.

      2. I think it’s all about a good combination of the sport and the life of the athlete off the “arena”. A good side story always make it an interesting movie, just look at “Blind side” or “Remember the Titans”. However, I don’t know whether Senna’s playboy life style will make it a good drama.

      3. I present to you sir, Cool Runnings.

        1. And I’ll add to that… BASEketball.

    3. xeroxpt (@)
      9th May 2012, 3:33

      I’m pretty sure that im the only guy on this community that didnt like the Senna film its too reductive yes i shed a tear but i didnt burst, also im pretty sure that the brazilians will make a better proper film to show Senna on all of his greatness.

      1. I liked the Senna film, but I too felt somewhat underwhelmed after all the hype I had heard. However, I think that may be partly due to the fact that I am too young(born in 86) to have watched Senna and his rivals in their prime.

      2. thejudge13+
        9th May 2012, 10:10

        Problem is that the genuine on track drama together with the consistant off track farce that is F1 is too unbelievable to none F1 audiences from a realism point of view.

        From a Hollywood point of view, F1 probably looks like a badly scripted haphazard comedic farce.

        To F1 fans, the fiction of a Hollywood film will never be more absorbing than the fact that is F1.

      3. Did you watch the Extended version or the regular shorter version? I definitely prefer the regular version, the interviews took me out of Senna’s world and broke the flow.
        I am only slightly older than Senna but only became an F1 enthusiast four years ago. I never really knew anything about Aryton or that era before watching the movie. I loved it. I didn’t cry but I was touched. Its not so much about Formula 1 as it is about a very sincere person who when faced with fame, fortune, and all the other corruptable forces that change many successful sportsman into proud stuck up and fake people. I think many chose this ego because they want to will themselves into continuing to win. Aryton chose a different path, driven by a deep desire to connect with forces bigger than him. It made me remember important memories from my younger years and where those feelings that I could do anything came from. I think a lot of sportsman, future and present have learned from his example.
        You could have many drivers made movies of. But certainly Aryton’s philosophy and spirituality is what makes his unique.

      4. i didnt like it either. i thought it was boring, but it got nominated for awards – just like crap musicians who arent really musicians like j-lo etc get nominated for music awards. i think its better to watch him in old race videos then a film like this. that Senna movie could be made for every f1 driver who ever raced – they all had interesting careers and stories along the way. i never actually liked Senna as a person, over philosphical – in his own mind a bit, and didnt apologize for his mistakes – his theatrical philosophical speaches after the suzuka crash in 89 with Prost was obsurd and a disrespect to other f1 drivers – like Prost who did what any other great f1 driver would have done in the moment, turn in and not let an absurd passing attempt succeed. And a year later after he just became a complete jerk, crashing out Prost on purpose to win a championship.
        People in this era of F1, who never watched Senna race, should look back to 1990 Suzuka before glorifying him, i think it was one of the most dispicable momenst in f1 history.
        he was a great driver, in the top handful in f1 history – i appreciate that and everyone else should, butthey should realise he wasnt perfect, i dont like how people rate him “the best ever”, this was unfortunantly created by his death. and now a second movie being made shows that people are just trying to make money from a story already told.

  2. Slight panic then reading ‘McLaren try out higher nose’ thought they may have gone down the ‘ugly’ road but nope.. all is good!

    If not, better!! :)

    1. Looks ok, but I don’t know if its better (in terms of looks). Still the best looking nose though lol.

  3. How long till a Schumacher-Hakkinen film? Any bets?

    1. Depends on how long they can milk Senna’s corpse for all its worth. That idea of yours make take some time to actually happen.

    2. A Schumacher-Hakkinen film would be fantastic!

      1. Schumacher V Hill would be decent too.

        1. Indeed. Allthough the 1996 season was kinda anti-climatic and it turned more into Hill vs. Villeneuve if even. 1994/1995 don’t tell the whole story imo.

          However, I would love to see Patrick Stewart as Frank Williams.

  4. While it’s great to have another F1 movie I’d rather see a different story rather than another Senna film. Why not one about Villeneuve or Fangio for example?

    1. i want a graham hill movie. that guy had more character than all of today’s movies combined.

      1. Hill deserves a movie just for that epic mustache alone.

      2. There was a good documentary on his life I saw once. Don’t remember who produced it. I think it was part of a legends series.

  5. i got a book on ayrton and i think it mentioned years ago they wanted antonio banderas to play the part lol

    1. Sylvester Stallone’s Driven (which even he regretted making) started out as a Senna biopic …

      1. Oh gosh, that is disturbing.

        1. I believe Stallone was planning to write and possibly direct it, and I think Bernie expressed some general interest in the idea. Stallone encountered some resistance from the studios who didn’t think that a Senna biopic was worth the budget he was asking, and so Sly started looking at bringing it forward to the modern day – at the time, it was 1997-ish – but Bernie wasn’t impressed by the changing nature of the script, and (wisely) withdrew support. Stallone moved it to CART instead.

          And people say Bernie is an evil tyrant hell-bent on bleeding every last dollar out of the sport.

          1. Back in the day when I heard that Bernie basically stopped the project for F1, I was thinking he’s an idiot and that a movie about Formula 1 would really be great.

            Then I saw ‘Driven’ and ever since I’m judging Bernie’s marketing decisions AFTER they have taken effect.

          2. He surely foresaw that the movie is only going to bring losses… ;)

    2. Rodrigo Santoro seems a much better pick than Banderas.

      Banderas is too old and too Spanish :)

      1. Yeah, Rodrigo did a good job in the role of Heleno de Freitas. I think he’d be perfect for portraying Senna.

  6. Eleanore (@leucocrystal)
    9th May 2012, 1:38

    This is so unnecessary (the film, that is), I don’t even know where to begin. The documentary did about as great a job as anyone could’ve hoped. I used to cringe back in the day when the Antonio Banderas biopic rumors would come back up again, and this makes me cringe just as hard now. Hopefully nothing ultimately comes of it. So much of Senna’s life was captured on film (and in several other, older documentaries as well), there’s just no reason for it.

    I’m very excited for Rush, on the other hand. It’s nice to see Hollywood taking notice of the drama of F1. That said, let’s not needlessly recycle what’s already been (pretty expertly) done. There are plenty of other great stories to be told, if they really want to make more F1 films.

    1. @leucocrystal To be fair, F1 is not THAT sacred. Why not let someone else have a go? If his family is happy with it that’s surely all that matters? It’ll be interesting to see how/if it develops.

      1. Eleanore (@leucocrystal)
        9th May 2012, 20:27

        I wouldn’t argue it was sacred, but I still think it’s fairly unnecessary. When you’re looking at a public figure whose life has been examined in several media (one feature documentary, plus I don’t know how many in previous years for TV; a huge stack of books, etc.), what’s the point, exactly? I don’t see many stones unturned in that particular story. If you want to make an F1 movie, my argument would only be that there are plenty of other stories within it that have far less tread on them.

  7. Mike the bike Schumacher (@mike-the-bike-schumacher)
    9th May 2012, 1:54

    ok just few thoughts on what F1 movies i’d like to see made, Ascari and his father, not really sure about the whole story to their lives, but their deaths, are unfortunately quite interesting. Fangio and Moss, Hawthorn and Collins, Clark and Champman, Stewart, Ken Tyrell and Cevert (which I know is coming out but maybe one more focused on Stewart’s own life a bit more, not to take away from Cevert or anything) the 1976 season (obviously we have Rush), the 1982 season, Senna/Prost battles, actually I think cover the whole eighties would be great Lauda, Senna, Prost, Piquet, Mansell, late 90’s Schumi, Hakkinen, 2008/2010 were great but definitely only for a documentary movie.

    1. Mike the bike Schumacher (@mike-the-bike-schumacher)
      9th May 2012, 1:56

      and i’m actually reading a book about a little known Irish driver Tommy Byrne, would also make a great movie.

    2. Don’t forget drivers like James Hunt that were as interesting in their (semi) private lives as they were on track. Sorry , more “good old days” syndrome.

      1. @mike-the-bike-schumacher it would be a short movie :) Though i have read he did look like the next big thing in F1

    3. I read here that Manish Pandey was planning a Hawthorn-Collins movie based on the book Mon Ami Mate. Not sure what happened to it, though.

  8. I always had the usual best drivers nominees.

    But with Sky F1 Legend show, I really come to respect Mansell and my new idol is Mario Andretti.

    Geee, a movie about Mario Andretti’s life would be so awesome!!!

    1. Yes, Andretti could have a trio of movies after all his myriad accomplishments!

  9. RE: Movie about Formula 1

    I would love to see a movie about the sport that looks at it from multiple angles – imagine a movie that looks at Bernie’s wheeling a dealing and the politics involved / a great championship showdown (ala 2010) / the Mclaren and Ferrari spy saga / the Piquet Alonso setup / the FIA “rigging” 1994 to ensure a gripping season finale…

    1. That will probably never happen. When he was writing Rush, Peter Morgan approached Bernie Ecclestone, who was concerned about the direction the project was heading, and that it would be a film about Formula 1. Morgan reassured him that no, it was about two men with such radically different attitudes and approaches who are in contention for the World Championship. Formula 1 is simply a framing device for that. Bernie told Morgan that he was very happy that this was the answer Morgan gave, because he had been hoping that the project would be the way Morgan described it (it appears a few people have approached Bernie about making a Formula 1 film over the years), and that he probably wouldn’t have given his blessing if Morgan had said anything else.

    2. A movie about bernie would be interesting.. Sort of like the movie Money Ball with Brad Pitt, it was about american baseball, but not the game itself, but the management behind the team.

    3. Considering Bernie usually is the centre of all political upheaval I can’t see him granting anyone permission to potentially paint him in a bad light!

  10. I want to see a film about the 2007 season. The whole Hamilton-Alonso and spygate interlinked. Will make for compelling cinema.

    1. That won’t happen before a lot of water has run under the bridge, most of the people involved stopped their F1 activities, etc. And someone probably has to write a book about “the truth of 2007’s McLaren” or something, then wait a few years until court cases of that are settled etc. :)

  11. Is another SENNA movie really required? I’m pretty sure SENNA said it all. As a Senna fan I know all I need to know about him, Movie and 5/6 books later, I won’t need to see it.

  12. How about a movie about Bernie? Would it start off with kind of that slinky sixties party music? Then I could envision Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’ being used. I don’t know what you would do about the monolugue though. It might get a bit redundant and difficult to not make it look like its all about money and control with a show. I think the F1 scene is called a circus because he runs in like P.T. Barnum.

  13. I don’t think there needs to be another Senna film at this point in time. There’s plenty of other stories in F1 that are ripe for a motion picture. I am really looking forward to Rush when it comes out.

    I’m liking the idea of a Stewart-Cevert film, though.

  14. I don’t see why people are so negative just because there was a documentary. A film is a completely different thing and if done right it can be a very good experience.

  15. The documentary was awesome. Cannot wait for the movie :) It will definitely do well amongst fans

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