There is legal action afoot over the upcoming movie about Niki Lauda, with a European consortium claiming that they had agreed a deal with the Austrian to make a film called “33 Days – To Hell and Back”. Lauda wrote a book back in 1986 called “Meine Story” in German, but this was named “To Hell and Back” in English-speaking markets. It is not clear whether the “33 Days” film was going to be based on this book and whether a rights deal was agreed.
It is a story that goes back to 2007 when Austrian film-maker Hannes Schalle of Moonlake Entertainment (which makes a lot of videos for Red Bull) began working on the idea of movie about his fellow countryman Lauda. I happen to know this is true because Schalle talked to me at the time about perhaps being involved in the writing. He told me that Lauda would be involved. I heard nothing more and assumed that there was no money.
Schalle had not given up, however, and in 2009 he produced a TV documentary called Aus eigener Kraft (Against all Odds), about famous sporting comebacks, which chronicled Lauda’s extraordinary return from a near-fatal accident in 1976 to fight for the World Championship with James Hunt. This was broadcast in 2010. By then Schalle and the German production company called Phoenix Film had begun to plan for “33 Days”. The first draft of the script was finished in February 2009 and, according to Schalle, Lauda was delighted. The final script was not presented until the end of December 2010 and was sent to Lauda, but the film-makers heard nothing back, and discovered a month later in a German newspaper that screenwriter Peter Morgan was writing a screenplay for the Niki Lauda film to be called “Rush”. This was to be directed by Hollywood’s Ron Howard. Ironically, Peter Morgan’s mother-in-law Dr Therese von Schwarzenberg had appeared in Schalle’s TV documentary talking about how she managed to walk again after a skiing accident, after two years in a wheelchair.
Despite Lauda’s involvement in the “Rush” project, “33 Days” was officially launched at Cannes in 2011 with the aim being to shoot that summer. At the time Schalle told Screen magazine that Lauda has “assured his full support for the project” and the production was looking to sign Daniel Bruhl and Yvonne Catterfeld to star opposite “Harry Potter” star Tom Felton as James Hunt. The crew had at that point had already started scouting for locations and agreed a collaboration with Daniele Audetto, the former racing director of Ferrari.
When “Rush” was officially announced it Bruhl also listed for the role of Lauda, alongside Chris Hemsworth and Olivia Wilde, with heavy-hitting Hollywood finance behind the project.
Lauda says he is not worried by the legal action.
joeblogsf1 
Tom Felton as James Hunt?!?! Regardless of the legal niceties, this project MUST die!!
It seems the Senna movie/doc has started the ball rolling for F1 movies, where will it end? Rebaque! The story of a young Mexicans struggle to convince Bernie that he was an F1 driver!!
Could be worse. Like “The Ricardo Zunino Story”, for example.
I want to see The Andrea Moda Story: It Isn’t As Easy As They Thought
Seconded!
F1 and slapstick comedy are rare bedfellows indeed.
I suppose it depends if Rush is about 76 as a whole or Lauda’s story. As I remember there was a huge amount of drama not just Niki’s admittedly remarkable story.
It’s the difference between a drama about Blechley Park and a Turing docudrama.
I believe that Rush is about the Hunt/Lauda battle for the title and not a focus on just 1 of the drivers, but I might be wrong. and personally Im not going to have any high hopes on the film for fear it wont meet them.
“Rush” is based on the 1976 season battle between Lauda and Hunt.
What about the story of the Blackbushe Airfield, and the permission to shoot it thewre, was it solved?
No idea. You tell me.
I read a comment from a local (on one F1 fansite) that it will go along or already happened
OK, thanks.
Sounds like a case of sour grapes doesn’t it? What exactly is the legal action mooted to be? It seems to be a somewhat tight deadline to “launch” in May 2011 and commence filming in the summer – which presumably .hasn’t happened.
Howard’s ‘Rush’ has the momentum, the financial backing and the publicity now. I agree with Tony, it’s not a film exclusively about Lauda and his life but about a rivalry between two drivers in one particular season.
hope they both get made, as long as they are good quality projects, I will go and watch them both.
They are supposed to have been to Crystal Palace so there might be a Hunt based preamble. I hope that they use the Purley names Lauda “The Rat” story.
I think the Ron Howard ‘Rush’ movie will be from a different angle than the ’33 days’ angle. Follow Ron Howard’s tweets @RealRonHoward as they are in the UK at the moment planning.
There’s a lot of effort going in to get the correct locations, settings, equipment, feel, etc. Ron has posted some great behind the scenes photos to illustrate this.
Someone should make a movie about Barry Sheene’s life.
and one about Mr Sheen: The Man on the Can.
Tom Felton as Hunt? Pardon me while I destroy my computer.
I had to look up this Tom Felton fellow. Nope. At so many levels, nope.
If someone is out there thinking this casting will appeal to younger film-goers, please stop that, and go seance with a long weekend of archive interviews (bifter “optional” for the essential task of reviewing his commentary) and work out why *that character* will appeal, and try harder to get a good choice. A older actor could do Hunt, if not too battered physically, and would better attain the confident poise. Sparing you my list of major actors who got it together in their 40s playing younger roles.
and just to add, grumpily, it’s us semi-old farts who can afford to shell out 80 bucks for two tickets, and will buy the disc if you don’t fluff the transfer like you usually do, so c.c. the above to marketing and distribution whilst you’re at it.
What cinema do you go to that charges $40 a ticket??? I think someones taking you for a ride. 😛
Joe, the Lauda story is not new. Do you have an opinion why 35 years later it is in the process of becoming a movie?
The Romeo and Juliet story is somewhat older and it still generates movies on occasion..
Good one…..
I would imagine the movie “Senna” was a catalyst. Plus, Ron Howard is probably being wise with his timing as F1 is about to move back into the US market this year and next.
Calm down everyone – Tom Felton was mooted at the time. Chris Hemsworth is now the choice for Hunt – in my opinion, much better.
Forgive the link Joe, but it is relevant
http://reverendfrog.co.uk/frogblog/articles/why-you-should-rush-to-see-the-new-lauda-hunt-film
Joe’s story states that Tom Felton was being considered to play Hunt in the ’33 days’ project, not Ron Howard’s ‘Rush’. The 2 projects are entirely seperate.
I have been following Ron Howard on Twitter and it has been great to see a Hollywood producer of his calibre take on an F1 project. He’s been quite excited on a number of occassions posting pics and details from various circuits. It will be nice to see F1 in the spot light especially for a market that needs F1 to be more visible, North America. The Senna movie didn’t make enough noise across the pond but it certainly may have helped open the door.
A rule of thumb in Hollywood: money solves all problems. A check will be cut, deals made. Ron Howard is one of the most powerful men in Hollywood.
…Nikki who…?
Today nobody’s interested by his opinions; clue: -anybody wants to hear about his life…?
Me for one,
He is my favourite F1 driver of all time, so me as well.
Even if Lauda looked favorably towards the “33 Days” movie being made, I’m assuming they never had any exclusive rights to do it. This is probably just for publicity.
I just hope the movie is halfway as good as “To Hell And Back”, which is actually a very good book written by a driver (as opposed to Alain Prost’s book “Life In The Fast Lane”, which is either a good cure for insomnia or a bird cage liner, depending on your mood when you try to read it…).
It is a fantastic book – I read it for the first time recently. It is refreshing to read Lauda speaking eloquently, with the book obviously having been written in German and translated. It gives the reader greater empathy with him.
When he is speaking English, although his command is excellent, he always comes across as more abrupt.
Pretty much every movie ever made gets sued over something. Seriously, it’s unbelievable. Fingers crossed it’s nothing more than another case of lawyers earning their living. Sad but true.
Greetings Joe,
“Aus eigener Kraft” translates to “From ones own strength”, or “From strength within”
Cheers,
Pete S.
I’d love to see a film on Sir Jackie Stewart touching upon his friendship with his team-mate Francois Cevert. Cevert’s death and Stewart’s retirement immediately would make for a great emotional experience.
Equally thrilling and touching would be a movie on Mario Andretti’s exploits in F1, IndyCar and NASCAR. But the climax would be his clinching the 1978 championship in the year that his team-mate Ronnie Petersen died.
Finally, I’d also love to see a movie on pre-war Grand Prix racing. That would be truly unbeatable if taken in the right way.
@PT,
They’re all very good ideas, but one wonders if they possibly veer into the territory of fan-only productions.
As an aside, with all the other muted movie projects at the moment – “Rush” apart – is motorsport getting closer to diluting its product at the cinema?
@Leigh O’Gorman
I think that motorsport films in general, apart from the Senna documentary, have been taken by people who don’t know motorsport in depth. The movie “Driven” is a perfect example, as also is the more successful NASCAR film “Days of Thunder”. I think that is the reason why motor racing has not been successful in Hollywood. On the other hand movies such as Grand Prix were really serious efforts.
Motorsport movies should be taken by the right people – directors who know the sport enough to love it, but at the same time can see things in an objective manner.
The Senna documentary is more a fan’s perspective, IMHO, but it still succeeded because it managed to showcase motor racing, as it is, and open up this marvelous sport to many who hardly follow it. That is how “Rush” and the other suggested ideas could succeed.