The Big Picture

Ferrari is an upcoming biopic directed by Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, focusing on the dangerous Mille Miglia race in 1957. The film delves into the inner struggles of Enzo Ferrari, exploring themes of loss and love through his relationship with his wife and a secret affair. Driver was initially unsure about his connection to the character, but Mann’s emphasis on internal life and rich character development convinced him to take on the role.

There’s been a lot of buzz for the upcoming biopic, Ferrari, this year. Aside from it being Oscar-nominated director, Michael Mann’s first film in seven years (Blackhat, 2015), the movie stars Adam Driver as the luxury sports car magnate, Enzo Ferrari, in a performance that sees the actor “playing to his strengths,” and evoking one Robert De Niro, according to Collider’s Ross Bonaime.

Adapted to a screenplay by the late Troy Kennedy Martin, Ferrari takes place in the summer of 1957 in the years after the Second World War, revolving around the dangerous Mille Miglia, a 1,000-mile race across the unpredictable terrain of Italy, through cities and country roads. Former racer and entrepreneur, Enzo Ferrari is facing the decline of his sports car factory and empire, and everything his life has amounted to is resting on that finish line. More than an epic sports film, however, Ferrari hones in on the inner turmoils of its central character to examine the heartache of loss and the enigmatic concept of love through Enzo’s furious and grieving wife, Laura Ferrari (Penélope Cruz), and his secret affair with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley).

With Ferrari hitting theaters just in time for the holidays, Collider’s Steve Weintraub sat down with Driver to discuss the film. Driver admits that after first reading the “well written” script he wasn’t sure there was a connection with the character, but that it was Mann who convinced him otherwise. They talk about the director’s approach to his films, the prospect of Heat 2, how to marathon Mann’s filmography, and his experience on the set of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. You can watch the full interview in the video above, or read the transcript below.

Ferrari Set in the summer of 1957, with Enzo Ferrari’s auto empire in crisis, the ex-racer turned entrepreneur pushes himself and his drivers to the edge as they launch into the Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy. Release Date December 25, 2023 Director Michael Mann Runtime 130 minutes Main Genre Biography Writers Troy Kennedy Martin , Brock Yates

COLLIDER: As I’ve said many times, man, I am a really big fan of your work and I just want to say thank you for doing what you do.

ADAM DRIVER: Thank you very much. That’s very nice.

I am a huge fan of Michael Mann, just like you. If someone has not seen any Michael Mann movies, besides Ferrari because obviously they should go see it, what’s the first thing they should watch and why?

DRIVER: It’s hard because they’re very different. Heat is probably the first one. I mean, I could go in order maybe? Heat, and then I would say The Insider, The Last of the Mohicans, Thief… I’m just naming all the movies. Heat. I’d say Heat.

Related Michael Mann Confirms ‘Heat 2’ as Next Project, Hints at Adam Driver Starring The director plans to adapt his own novel, a sequel to his 1995 crime classic.

Speaking of Heat, so you’re working with Michael, you’re on the set, obviously Heat 2 (the book) came out when you were making the film, I believe. How much are you whispering in his ear, “Michael, I’m a really big fan of Heat. Did you know I like Heat?” Because I heard you’re making a sequel.

DRIVER: [Laughs] No, we were all Ferrari. We were all engrossed in Ferrari.

Sure, just throwing that out there. So you’re a very talented actor, but the night before the first day of filming something, what has been the most nervous you’ve been? On what project?

DRIVER: Hard to say. I usually had troubles, I think, earlier in my career. I would have a tough time going to sleep, but that doesn’t happen now. I’m more excited to get to set the first day, whereas before I was really nervous, and I’m still nervous, but I wanna get into it.

Adam Driver Found His Connection to ‘Ferrari’ Through Michael Mann

You obviously spent a lot of time working with Michael. For fans of Michael Mann, what actually surprised you about working with him so closely on Ferrari, and what was it about this project that said, “I need to do this?”

DRIVER: When he sent it to me, I could read it and I acknowledged that it was well written, but I didn’t find a connection to the character. But then I found with Michael, to answer the first part of your question, I was surprised to find out how much he’s invested in internal life. He is obviously famous for being well researched and all of those things, but he is fascinated by internal life, and the power of thought to him is very cinematic. I mean, even in that scene in Heat — people don’t have a lot of time sometimes in movies to make these big turns, but their internal lives are so rich and so specific, and that’s why you can rewatch them over and over and over again. All of his notes are about character and internal life.

Adam Driver Says Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ Is Going to Take Bold Risks
Image by Collider Staff

I could not be more excited for [Francis Ford] Coppola’s new movie, which you got to be a part of. What can you say about working on his passion project, which he literally financed himself?

DRIVER: Because he financed it himself, it made the shooting process one of the best experiences, if not the best shooting experience, I’ve ever had. There was no excess conversation, there were no people robbing from Peter to pay Paul, and not even just the financial part of it. It felt like he was in control of the movie that he wanted to make and that was it. It felt like, “Oh, this is how movies should be.” And he is the most generous, philosophical person that I know. I loved that process and making it with him. I love talking to him. I know we’re out of time, it’s hard to answer these in a short amount of time, but the movie is wild. It’s so imaginative and big and epic, and it’s bold. It takes a risk, and I couldn’t be more excited by it.

Have you seen footage?

DRIVER: Mhm, yeah.

Did he show you a rough cut?

DRIVER: [Laughs] I will not say. I’ll stop there, but it’s amazing.

Ferrari is in theaters on December 25.

Get Tickets