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Quick Look: Michael Mann’s 2023 Blockbuster, Ferrari

Whether you’re a movie buff or a motoring enthusiast, chances are you can’t wait for the new Enzo Ferrari movie, which will be released later this year.

Starring Adam Driver and Penélope Cruz, Ferrari is set to be a thrilling ride through the dramatic life story of the legendary man. Read on as we take a quick look at some of the key points, interesting facts and release dates of this hotly anticipated movie.

Adam Driver wearing a suit as Enzo Ferrari standing next to a racing car.

Image: vulture.com - Lorenzo Sisti

What is the new Ferrari movie about?

Directed by Michael Mann, the new Ferrari movie is a biopic about enigmatic entrepreneur, Enzo Ferrari. It tells his intriguing life story with a specific focus on the tumultuous year of 1957, when the Ferrari boss was simultaneously fighting professional and personal battles, including the death of his son.

Events centre on the tragic 1957 Mille Miglia. In this infamous race, Spanish driver Alfonso de Portago’s tyre blew on his Ferrari 335 S, causing the car to spin into the crowd, killing nine spectators, his navigator and himself. A dark day in Italian motoring history.

While exact plot details are still shrouded in mystery, much of the movie is expected to follow the long legal clash in which Ferrari was accused, then later cleared, of manslaughter.

Adam Driver seen as Enzo Ferrari next to the actor’s natural look.

Image: unilad.com - ID/Abaca Press/Alamy Stock Photo

Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari

Adam Driver continues his run of high-profile roles and plays the movie’s eponymous main character. Enzo Ferrari was a distinctive man, and, on first glance, the two-time Oscar nominee may seem like a strange choice to represent him.

Yet when Driver is dressed with slicked-back silver hair, a sharp Italian suit and trademark sunglasses, he cuts a familiar figure.

Of course, Driver is no stranger to portraying strong-willed businessmen or affecting an Italian accent, having already played fashion magnate Maurizio Gucci in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci (2021).

Does he pull it off? As I’m yet to see the film, I can only assume so; Adam Driver is an excellent actor and trailers hint towards a characteristically strong performance. In an early review, The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw praised Driver’s performance, stating that he plays Ferrari “with conviction and impassive stoicism”. To learn more about Enzo Ferrari’s personality and legacy, read our article on the history of Ferrari.

The city of Modena, Italy.

Image: italia.it

Where was the 2023 Ferrari movie filmed?

The $95 million movie was filmed on location in Italy, reportedly in the cities of Modena in Emilia-Romagna – close to Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello – and Brescia in Lombardy. I have been fortunate enough to explore Italy extensively as part of more than a decade of hosting supercar tours, so here are my insights on the filming locations.

The Emilia-Romagna region is located south of Lake Garda, which is nestled adjacent to the Dolomites. Although the roads around Modena itself aren’t that interesting from a driver’s perspective, further north of Brescia are the mountains which extend all the way into Switzerland. I’m hoping they feature some of these mountain roads in the film, as they are spectacular; we experience them during many of our driving tours of the area.

Each year, as part of our Italian Supercar Tour, our guests are hosted on a private tour of the Enzo Ferrari Museum, and afterwards, they have lunch at the restaurant across the road from the famous Ferrari gates, where Enzo reportedly ate lunch every day. You can almost drink the history here, and it’s a special feeling to be in the same place that underpins so much of Ferrari’s history.

Two vintage racing Ferraris parked next to each other.

Image: aoidemagazine.com

What cars feature in Ferrari?

Cars featured in the Enzo Ferrari movie are yet to be confirmed, although the trailer shows us what appears to be the ill-fated de Portago in his Ferrari 335 S (de Portago is played in the film by Gabriel Leone). We can also expect to catch glimpses of other Ferrari cars from the era, such as the iconic 250 GT.

Interestingly, Adam Driver was not permitted to drive any of the historic cars that feature in the film due to insurance stipulations. When you’re dealing with cars of such high value (all the way up to eight figures), that’s quite understandable really!

Director Michael Mann.

Image: Getty Images - Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

Michael Mann must be a Ferrari guy because …

Ferrari was directed by Michael Mann, who is reported to have worked on the film for more than 20 years – he’s clearly a big Ferrari guy.

In interviews, Mann has revealed falling in love with the sound of the Ferrari 275 GTB at a young age, and he went the extra mile to ensure the sound design of the film accurately represents the cars portrayed.

Ferrari was not the director’s first filming experience with his favoured marque, as Mann’s legendary TV series Miami Vice was famous for showcasing some of Maranello’s finest – particularly the definitive ‘80s supercar, the Testarossa, designed by Pininfarina. He was also an executive producer on Ford v Ferrari (2019).


Be first to see it: Ferrari 2023 release dates

By now, you may be dying to see the film – and you don’t have to wait too long until it makes it to cinemas around the world.

Ferrari premiered in Venice on 31 August and was generally well received, even getting a seven-minute standing ovation.

For its wider release, the film is expected to arrive in cinemas during the holiday season, as follows:

A red Ferrari follows a blue Porsche up an alpine road.

Image: Ultimate Driving Tours

Ever dreamt of exploring Ferrari’s home country?

There are few places in the world more magical than Italy – culture, cuisine, history and some of the finest supercars on the planet. If you want to explore the origin of Ferrari, our Italian Supercar Tour is the way to do it in true luxury.

This bucket-list journey includes the opportunity to drive latest-release Ferraris – as part of an entire fleet of epic supercars – through the Italian Alps, staying in boutique luxury accommodation along the way, and even enjoying a guided tour of the Ferrari museum in Maranello.

To learn more about any of our European driving tours, speak to our friendly travel concierge team today.


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