Returning to screens after a nearly decade hiatus, legendary filmmaker Michael Mann is back with “Ferrari” – a biopic of famed car manufacturer Enzo Ferrari, that has been a passion project of Mann’s for two decades.
The story unfolds in 1957 as the marriage of Enzo (Adam Driver) and Laura (Penelope Cruz) has splintered in the wake of his infidelity and the death of their young son, whilst at work he’s under considerable financial pressure. He bets it all on the treacherous cross-country Mille Miglia race.
Speaking on Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders event in London, Mann acknowledges there were times he doubted he could do the film:
“There were numerous times when I thought this was an impossible film to make, and then I would go back and reread the screenplay and what was magical and riveting about it would present itself all over again and I constantly stayed completely committed to it.”
The project premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August to a quite good, if a little tepid, response and raves for Penelope Cruz’s co-starring role.
During the conversation, Mann was also asked if he would confirm that Driver would be cast in the possible sequel to his crime classic “Heat” to which Mann smartly side-stepped, saying only:
“Adam and I got along like a house on fire. We have the same work ethic – it was pretty intense and we had a great time working together artistically.”
No confirmation or denial there. “Heat 2” was published as a novel last year serving as both a prequel and sequel to the events of the 1995 feature. Mann has previously discussed his intent to adapt the work as a film.
Back in April came early reports that Driver was in talks to play a young version of Robert DeNiro’s Neil McCauley character.
