Quick Facts:
- Topic: Ford’s Raptor origin story ad campaign for the F-150 Raptor.
- Director: Ben Affleck.
- Star: Jon Bernthal, with Ford Racing engineers Tim Smith, Derek Bier and Chris Paiva.
- Airs: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, on Apple TV during Ole Miss vs. Texas, then during U.S. Grand Prix coverage on Sunday.
- Story: The project was canceled six times, and Ford says the team finished on the podium at the Baja 1000.
- New truck: None announced in this campaign.
- Best for: Raptor owners, truck shoppers and desert-racing fans.
5 min read
In This Article
Overview
Ford is telling the Raptor origin story on television this weekend. Ben Affleck directed the campaign, and the first spots air Saturday, Oct. 24, on Apple TV during the Ole Miss and Texas game. They also run during U.S. Grand Prix coverage in Austin on Sunday, according to Road & Track. Watch the full film on Ford Racing’s YouTube channel.
This is a Ford Raptor commercial, not a reveal. In Ford’s write-up and the coverage we reviewed, the company announced no new model, specs or pricing. Instead, the film looks back at how a small team of Ford Racing engineers built the first F-150 Raptor. It also ties the story to Ford’s celebration of 125 years in racing.
If the film makes you want a desert run, start with tire pressure. Sand driving calls for lower pressure, and our guide on how to air down tires covers the steps. The VIAIR 450P-RV compressor, ARB E-Z Deflator (ARB505) and JACO ElitePro digital gauge below handle the job.
Airing down gear for sand and desert runs
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What the Raptor Origin Story Film Covers
Ford calls the campaign The Raptor Origin Story. The full film is titled “Project Raptor: Based on a Ford Story.” Jon Bernthal tells the tale while driving an early Raptor. Ford Racing engineers Tim Smith, Derek Bier and Chris Paiva appear on camera too. Bernthal and Affleck also both own Raptors.
Watch “Project Raptor: Based on a Ford Story,” the 1:31 film from Ford Racing’s official YouTube channel.
In the spot, Bernthal says, “The project got killed six times.” For example, Ford’s write-up describes a team of engineers who kept building and testing mules. According to MotorTrend, Bernthal gave Affleck a ride in a Raptor on the set of The Accountant and got him hooked. Affleck now owns two.
I like how Ford put the engineers on camera next to the jumps and power slides Road & Track describes. The focus stays on how the truck got built. Ford Racing general manager Will Ford wrote the campaign’s write-up, which is on the From the Road site.
Ford Raptor History: From Pivot to Podium
The film retells the project’s years in one spot. Here is the Ford Raptor history it draws on, based on Ford’s account and MotorTrend’s reporting.
- Mid-2000s: A small group of Ford Racing engineers pivoted from a street performance vehicle and asked whether Ford would build a desert race truck with a factory warranty.
- Early testing: The team built test mules and broke parts. One run twisted a steel driveshaft into a shape Ford compares to a candy cane.
- Suspension: Ford partnered with Fox to bring position-sensitive internal-bypass shocks, hardware previously reserved for Baja race rigs, to a production truck.
- Proof: The team took the truck to the Baja 1000 and finished on the podium.
- 2008 and 2009: MotorTrend reports Ford revealed the F-150 SVT Raptor in 2008 and put it on sale the following year.
Specifically, Tim Smith told MotorTrend the team was weighing a third-generation F-150 Lightning, the gas-powered street pickup, not the electric truck, when the off-road idea took over. The Raptor’s desert roots also show in aftermarket builds, such as the Shelby Baja Raptor desert build.
From Baja Podium to Raptor Rally
Ford ties the film to the recent Raptor Rally at Lake Havasu, Arizona. According to Ford, the event drew more than 1,100 people and nearly 500 Raptors. Owners also took trail runs and hot laps with pro racing drivers.
Daniel Ricciardo then climbed into an F-150 Raptor and headed to Austin for the U.S. Grand Prix, where Ford built the Ford Racing Den for fans. Raptors also took the top three places in the 4×4 class at the Rebelle Rally this month, as we covered in Raptors sweeping the Rebelle Rally.
What the Raptor Origin Story Means for You
Nothing about a Raptor you own, or one you plan to buy, changes with this campaign. Treat the spots as brand storytelling, because Ford announced no new trims in the material we reviewed.
Still, the history helps you shop. The Fox bypass shocks and the desert testing show where the Raptor’s suspension hardware came from. First, ask three questions of any factory off-road truck. Did the shocks come from a racing program? How much wheel travel does the truck gain over its base model? Does the warranty cover the desert driving you plan to do?
I drive a Colorado ZR2, so I pay attention to how a factory truck gets its suspension tuned. Reading how the engineers broke parts in testing reminds me how much tuning a factory suspension needs. Judge trucks by travel, damping and durability, not horsepower alone.
The Raptor name now covers more than the F-150, with the Ranger Raptor and Bronco Raptor carrying it too. Our report on the Raptor lineup set to expand explains what Ford Racing says it is studying next.
If you take a Raptor or any full-size truck into soft sand, carry recovery gear, because a truck at street tire pressure digs in. A pair of MAXTRAX MKII boards, a Bubba Rope 7/8-inch x 30-foot kinetic rope and Nilight 3/4-inch D-ring shackles cover the basics below.
Soft sand recovery gear
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Final Thoughts
The Raptor origin story works because it credits the people who built the truck. Engineers who kept the project alive through six cancellations deserve the camera time. Likewise, Affleck and Bernthal keep the focus on them.
I think Raptor owners will enjoy the film. Shoppers should use it as background, then compare trucks on suspension travel, durability and price. No campaign replaces a test drive.
Watch it this weekend, then judge your next truck on what the engineers built, not on the ad.
FAQ
Who directed the Ford Raptor commercial?
Ben Affleck directed the Ford Raptor commercial. Jon Bernthal stars in it with three Ford Racing engineers.
Where can I watch the Ford Raptor origin story film?
Watch the full film on Ford Racing’s YouTube channel. The spots also air on Apple TV during Ole Miss vs. Texas on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
When does the Raptor origin story film air?
The first spots air Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, on Apple TV during Ole Miss vs. Texas. They also run during U.S. Grand Prix coverage on Sunday, according to Road & Track.
How many times did Ford cancel the first Raptor project?
In the film, Bernthal says, “The project got killed six times.” MotorTrend reports the same count.
Does Affleck own a Raptor?
Yes. According to MotorTrend, Bernthal gave Affleck a ride in a Raptor on the set of The Accountant and got him hooked. Affleck now owns two.
Is Ford launching a new Raptor in this campaign?
No. In Ford’s write-up and the coverage we reviewed, the campaign announces no new model, specs or pricing.
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