It’s been a while since a big Hollywood production made the Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona Beach area such an important part of the movie.
“F1,” the latest blockbuster starring Brad Pitt and made in part by the team behind 2022’s hit “Top Gun: Maverick,” is now in theaters nationwide, and features thrilling racing sequences at the venue, and scenes filmed at locations locals will recognize.
Pitt and fellow cast members filmed scenes the Speedway and were even spotted at Pappas Drive-In & Family Restaurant in New Smyrna Beach, as well as at Christina’s Coin Laundry.
Shortly after filming scenes for “F1” in January 2024, Pappas was destroyed by an overnight fire three months later.
Another film to heavily involve Daytona Beach and the Speedway was 1990’s “Days of Thunder,” starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. A movie that not only featured the area’s iconic locations, but whose characters take much inspiration by NASCAR legends with deep connections to Daytona, such as Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Jr. and others.
The action-drama stars Cruise and Kidman — who met on the set, including shooting at the Speedway. Their marriage was one of the most celebrated of the 1990s but ended in 2001. In both its production and critical acclaim, “Days of Thunder” also had its ups and downs.
Infighting between the producers and director led to a three-month delay in the completion of filming, swelling its budget to $60 million from the original $35 million. While it has just a 38% Rotton Tomatoes critics’ rating, it has a fan base, including Quentin Tarantino, who called it his favorite racing movie. Costars include Robert Duvall and Randy Quaid.
News-Journal reporter Mark Harper contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: PHOTOS: ‘Days of Thunder,’ ‘F1’: 2 blockbusters that put Daytona racing front and center
Reporting by Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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