Director Joseph Kosinski spoke about the ending of the adrenaline-pumpingF1: The Movie, and shed some light on the post-credits scene. The action sports drama starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris has alreadybroken records at the box office, andexcellent reviews and audience scoresshould give it legs through the next few weeks in theaters.
Featuringdramatic moments inspired by real F1 accidents, easy-to-like characters, and plenty of pulse-pounding racing,F1: The Movieentertains right through its thrilling ending. However, there is an interesting post-credits scene that left audiences wondering if a sequel could be in the works.
In an interview withGQ, Kosinski spoke about the desert-set final scene which saw Sonny racing in the Baja 1000, an annual off-road race held in Mexico.GQnotes that the scene was actually meant to come at the movie’s opening, before Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) ever approaches Sonny about joining the APX team. Regarding a sequel, Kosinski said:
“That’s up for the audience to decide,” Kosinski says. “I think we leave it on a really open-ended moment for Sonny, for Kate [played by Kerry Condon], and for Joshua. So yeah, I think there’s certainly more to tell of the APXGP team, and where Sonny Hayes goes from here. But that’s not my decision.”
Producer (and famous F1 driver) Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff put the kibosh on the off-road race as a precursor to Sonny’s resurrection in Formula One as there was “nothing translatable” between the two racing styles. Instead of the Baja 1000, Sonny was shown participating in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the famous endurance race.
What Kosinski’s Post-Credits Scene Comments Mean For An F1: The Movie Sequel
The Door Is Wide Open For More Formula One Action
The movie features Pitt as former Formula One driver Sonny Hayes, whose career was curtailed by a devastating injury 30+ years prior to the events ofF1: The Movie. At the request of his former driving partner (Bardem), he helps a talented rookie (Idris) and the rest of the last-place APX Grand Prix team find their footing in the high-stakes world of Formula One.
While Sonny appears to be done with Formula One racing for the time being,the fact that Kosinski included a scene with him continuing to race in some capacity indicates that Sonny’s story is not over. In fact, it essentially paints the entirety ofF1: The Movieas little more than another stop on Sonny’s nomadic driver-for-hire life path.
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It’s entirely possible that Sonny will return to the APX team in a sequel, but as a technician or team principal. With his relationship with Kerry Condon’s Kate McKenna left open-ended, he has motivation to return at some point down the road as it is.
Sonny also made it perfectly clear to Ruben that he would rather die than not be allowed to drive. Despite his self-forced retirement from the APX team,there is definitely a path to him returning as a reserve driver or even as a driver-for-hire for another teaminterested in his talent behind the wheel.
Our Take On F1: The Movie’s Post-Credits Scene
It Was A Perfectly Picturesque Coda For Sonny Hayes
F1: The Moviehas exceeded all expectations from a box office perspective, but its lofty reported $200 million budget makes its long-term profitability far from certain. Whether a sequel ever comes to pass is dependent on plenty of other factors, but first and foremost is whether it makes financial sense.
The beauty behind the post-credits scene that Kosinski shot is that it’s appropriate no matter what the future is forF1: The Movie. It certainly leaves the door open for the characters and the world of modern Formula One racing to be revisited, but if that doesn’t ever come to pass, it’s a beautiful and appropriate ending for Sonny Hayes.
It’s a literal “ride off into the sunset” moment for a character who had the opportunity of a lifetime taken from him at a young age, but who has continued to chase the highs of racing ever since, despite his body rebelling against him for it. It’s the perfect conclusion for F1: The Movie while also being the perfect way to lead into further
