The Sound of F1 Is the Sound of Michael Fassbender

Putting the fas(t) in Fassbender: 'Shame' and 'X-Men: First Class' star Michael Fassbender to narrate new F1 documentary '1' (Photo by Jetto Fausel)

It's a little rare for a documentary to make a casting announcement, especially just hours before their world premieres. However, Formula One documentary 1 has announced that Michael Fassbender will be narrating their film, which debuts at the Paramount tonight.

Don't expect his dulcet Teutonic-Gaelic tones at the world premiere: Fassbender's narration has yet to be recorded, so tonight's red carpet gala will be the only screening with the previously recorded, temp voice-over. However, it will be ready when the finished film is released in 2013.

Fassbender's selection makes a lot of sense, since he's a big F1 fan, and in fact a self-described "Schumacher man" (hey, what F1 fan worth their salt isn't a little in awe of the seven-time world champion?.)

When I spoke to filmmakers Michael Shevlof and Paul Crowder late last week (see "Tracking Shots"), they told me they were inches from announcing a big name narrator. Now the name is out. In a press release, Crowder said, "There is truly no better voice to tell this story.” He described the star of Shame and Hunger as “a brilliant and fearless actor who will bring all the passion and excitement of our action documentary to life. There is truly no better voice to tell this story."

He'll have to fit it into Fassbender's already tight schedule, since he has two films in post-production, and three in pre-production, including his second eagerly-awaited time under Magneto's helmet inX-Men: Days of Future Past. Plus, as the joke goes, he's now eligible to be cut from the next Terrence Malick film, since he's been cast in his new, so-far untitled, Austin-shot feature with Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale.

SXSW and the Circuit of the Americas present the world premiere of 1 at the Paramount, 7:30pm, Nov. 15. See www.austintheatre.org for ticket info.