Car-racing films have provided audiences with a theatrical adrenaline rush for decades.
In the 1960s, moviegoers were dazzled by the effects in Grand Prix and charmed by lovable race cars like Herbie the Beetle in The Love Bug.
Le Mans, The Cannonball Run and Days of Thunder put big stars behind the wheel in Steve McQueen, Burt Reynolds and Tom Cruise, respectively.
In the 21st century, Disney and Pixar reimagined the racetrack for its Cars franchise, complete with a determined talking automobile and many motor-themed puns; Universal’s The Fast and the Furious revved up a winning series of films featuring Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker; and Sony’s Adam McKay-directed Talladega Nights, starring Will Ferrell, highlighted the humor in high-speed rivalries.
More recent entrants include critically acclaimed, real-life inspired films like Universal’s Ron Howard-directed Rush, starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl, and Fox’s James Mangold-helmed Ford v. Ferrari, with Christian Bale and Matt Damon. Apple and Formula One also recently teamed up for F1: The Movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.
From family-friendly comedies to fast-paced dramas, high-speed car-racing films have taken audiences for an exciting ride throughout the years. Read on for a trip down memory lane in 23 well-known driving movies.
- grossed more than $5 billion worldwide.
‘Cars’ (2006)
Featuring the voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and Tony Shalhoub, Cars combines family-friendly humor with the vibrant characters Disney’s Pixar is known for.
‘Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby’ (2006)
The action comedy centers on the hilarious rivalry between Will Ferrell’s NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby and a French Formula One racer, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. John C. Reilly co-stars in the Adam McKay-directed Sony film, which Ferrell and McKay scripted.
‘Speed Racer’ (2008)
The Wachowskis employed CGI to transform the Japanese anime and manga series of the same name into a live-action film. Despite a star-studded cast and $120 million budget, the film fell flat, grossing only $18.6 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend.
‘Rush’ (2013)
In this biographical drama, Chris Hemsworth stars as English race car driver James Hunt opposite Daniel Bruhl as rival Niki Lauda. The film recounts the adrenaline-riddled competition between the two Formula One races during the 1970s.
‘Gran Turismo’ (2023)
The Neill Blomkamp-directed film, starring David Harbour and Orlando Bloom, is based on the true story of a team of underdogs, including a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver and an idealistic motorsport executive, who risk it all to take on one of the most elite sports in the world.
‘F1: The Movie’ (2025)
F1: The Movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski, not only stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris but also features cameos from real F1 drivers. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton also served as a producer on the pic. The film follows Pitt’s Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver, Idris’ Joshua Pearce.