James Hunt was a sex-crazed playboy. Niki Lauda was nearly consumed in flames. They both raced in one of the most thrilling, dangerous eras in Formula One. Here is a look inside Rush, Ron Howard's upcoming film about their rivalry and motor racing in the ‘70s.


Much as people like to remember the 1970s as the decade that taste forgot, Rush looks like a damn sexy film, judging by the many pictures Ron Howard has been tweeting of retro grid girls pacing around vintage F1 cars.


The story follows Austrian driver Niki Lauda, whose crash at the Nürburgring in 1976 nearly burnt him to death. Just six weeks and two races later, he was back on the track challenging for the world champion against his rival James Hunt. Daniel Brühl, from Inglourious Basterds and Goodbye, Lenin, will play him.

Hunt makes a perfect addition to the story, as he was pretty much the most drugged-out sex fiend to ever grace a race track, let alone win a Formula One world championship. He had a record of sleeping with 33 airline stewardesses in 14 days. Chris Hemsworth (the guy who plays Thor) will play him.

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Howard has tweeted dozens of pictures of little details, relishing the history, and likening Rush to making Apollo 13. He also seems to understand that with vintage F1 cars, you just need good shooting and editing to make things epic:

"Please no sucky digital effects" Cutting edge VFX team (& huge F1 fans) at Double Negative on Rush. Also MUCH cool in-cam racing planned


Rush will likely come out sometime next year, but Howard has no specific date set.

Click through the gallery for an inside view into making the film. Judging from these pictures Rush looks like it will be as good as Le Mans, Grand Prix, or Senna, only a whole lot sexier. Let's hope that when it comes out it lives up to our expectations.


Photo Credit: Ron Howard


Here's Olivia Wilde, playing Suzy Miller, supermodel and Hunt's wife. Howard tweeted, "70s party animals heading to the "private jet". Fun scene"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"I think the guys on the crew enjoyed today"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"A few of today's moments very hectic so i didn't grab many pics"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


Here's Hemsworth in his McLaren, and Howard tweeted, "After lunch...a little racing :-)"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Another fun idea taken straight from our research. You can't make this stuff up"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"As the day got long our "time keepers" and "driver's girlfriends" stayed cool and great"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"My shot list by mid-morning. A productive day"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


The F1 cars of the era sound awesome and they slide all over the track, even with those huge rear tires. Certainly Rush won't be short on spectacle. This F1 racer is a Shadow, an Anglo-American car.

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Sun is out. Good timing for a party scene in the Hesketh paddock area"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Very cold. But on screen it will be warm and sunny. Tough for on-camera talent"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"End the day with a powerful scene between rivals Hunt and Lauda for Rush"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Wardrobe depart doing a great job at recapturing the spirit of the 70s F1 world"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Nice frame from our C Camera"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Tense pit stop sequence today. All hands on deck"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Remote camera on high speed vehicle for chasing and tracking fast moving subjects. In our case, F1 cars from 70s"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


Black camera car: B camera has a tough task chasing the F1s into and out of the pits.

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"For a project as visually ambitious as Rush, they actually need visual effects surveys"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"But the scenes are going well despite light issues"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Lots and lots of 70s looks to check prior to rolling on each of the 30 or so set ups"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"BTW tho I don't tweet acting moments this cast is doing great work w these characters & Peter Morgan's script. Exciting"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Vital part of Team Lotus"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Scenes with complexity and scope keep me up nights in planning but are rewarding on shooting day"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Colder today. Actors find ways to keep warm in between takes"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"I heard today is 1st time our 2 Tyrell's have been together since the 70s"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"And here's a popular one. Everyone on the crew took their picture with this bad boy"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Another amazing array of Formula One classics"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Setting one of over 25 camera positions today"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Detail work reminds me of Apollo 13 lucky to be supported by so many owners of Historic F1 cars"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"1st day of detailed race scene work"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Moody 1st set up. Weather helped us out with this one"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Ist of 5 scenes today. A 1976 Trans Atlantic flight"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


Photo Credit: James J Crofts


Photo Credit: James J Crofts


"Ok. I obviously didn't take this one...but I am bending my rule and including it. A good day :-)"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Cool birthday cake for me after "wrap" :-) I wonder how many I've had on sets over the years?"

Photo Credit: Ron Howard


"Grateful for great light all day today."

Photo Credit: Ron Howard