The premier for Brad Pitt's F1 racing film is coming to Abu Dhabi (can you spot the capital's locations?)
Why? Because not only will the city be rolling out the red carpet for Hollywood royalty, it's also the place where key scenes of the movie were filmed – from high-speed drama at Yas Marina Circuit to high-stakes moments at Zayed International Airport and twofour54 Studios.
So yes, Abu Dhabi stars just as much as Pitt himself.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the film follows fictional driver Sonny Hayes – a '90s racing prodigy dubbed 'the greatest that never was' – as he attempts an adrenaline-fuelled comeback after a career-halting crash.
The production spent 29 days shooting across Abu Dhabi in December 2024, during the real-life Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and brought together 284 local crew members and 15 interns, turbocharging the city's creative economy in the process. It also made use of Abu Dhabi Film Commission's rebate programme, which has helped draw more than 180 major productions to the region since 2013.
'This premiere marks a full-circle celebration of a major international collaboration,' said Mohamed Dobay, Acting Director General of the Creative Media Authority. 'The economic and creative impact has been incredible.'
The premiere takes place a day before the film's official Middle East release – so expect flashing cameras, fast cars, and maybe even a glimpse of Brad himself.
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