Apple Original Films’ F1: The Movie Races to a Strong Opening Weekend
Apple Original Films has hit the ground running with its highly anticipated release, F1: The Movie. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for his work on Top Gun: Maverick, and featuring Brad Pitt in a leading role, the film opened to remarkable success, grossing approximately $25 million on its opening Friday from 3,661 theaters. Overall, the film is projected to earn between $55 million and $58 million over the weekend, significantly surpassing initial expectations.
The impressive Friday earnings included $10 million from early previews, showcasing strong audience interest. Distributed by Warner Bros., F1: The Movie is not only a major cinematic release but also a key element in Apple’s efforts to enhance its presence in the theatrical market. The film is poised to earn around $85 million internationally, potentially bringing its global opening total to at least $140 million. This would make it Brad Pitt’s biggest worldwide launch to date, surpassing the $112 million opening of World War Z (not adjusted for inflation).
One of the film’s significant advantages is its exclusive three-week run on IMAX screens, along with availability in other premium formats such as Dolby Cinema. On Friday alone, 58% of ticket sales came from these premium auditoriums, highlighting audience preference for high-quality viewing experiences.
However, the film comes with a hefty production budget estimated at $200 million, excluding marketing costs. To recoup its investment, F1: The Movie will need to maintain strong box office performance in the coming weeks. Featuring a talented cast that includes Damson Idris and Javier Bardem, the film tells the story of an injured former F1 driver (played by Pitt) who returns from retirement to mentor a younger racer (Idris). The score is composed by Hans Zimmer, who previously collaborated with Kosinski on Top Gun: Maverick.
F1: The Movie represents a crucial step for Apple as it aims to establish itself in the competitive landscape of major film releases, especially after experiencing setbacks with high-budget projects like Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon. Early audience reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with the film receiving an A CinemaScore and strong critical acclaim.
In comparison, Blumhouse’s M3GAN 2.0 is struggling at the box office, with projections indicating an opening weekend of just $10.3 million, which may place it in fourth position. The sequel to the original M3GAN—which debuted to a record-setting $30.4 million—had higher expectations but has faced challenges in attracting audiences. The new installment features a mix of returning and new cast members, but it has not captured the interest of its target demographic as anticipated.
Meanwhile, How to Train Your Dragon continues to perform well, nearing the $200 million mark domestically in its third weekend, while Pixar’s Elio is experiencing significant declines, further solidifying the competitive nature of this summer’s box office landscape.
As the weekend progresses, all eyes will be on F1: The Movie to see if it can maintain its momentum and achieve box office success while navigating the challenges of a costly production. Stay tuned for updates on its performance and the evolving dynamics of the film industry!
