Apple’s F1 movie just blasted off the starting grid and sped straight into box office glory, racking up a powerful $144 million global debut, which is a career-best theatrical opening for Apple Original Films. With $55.6 million earned in North America alone, F1: The Movie is a turning point for the tech giant’s Hollywood journey, finally delivering the kind of blockbuster success Apple has long chased.
Though Apple has previously scored critical acclaim with films like CODA, their theatrical ventures have often stalled. Big-budget projects like Napoleon, Argylle, and Killers of the Flower Moon drew eyes to Apple TV+ but failed to make noise in cinemas. But Apple’s F1 movie breaks that pattern with flair, merging adrenaline-pumping action and a stirring human story to deliver a genuine crowd-pleaser.
Directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the film stars Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon. The creators went all-in on immersion, strapping IMAX cameras inside F1 cockpits to give audiences an electrifying ride. The result were incredible having IMAX and premium screens accounted for 55% of total ticket sales. With a budget north of $200 million, the film still needs a few laps to recoup costs, but momentum is clearly on its side.
F1 fandom, supercharged by Netflix’s Drive to Survive, helped fuel interest. Warner Bros., co-distributor of the film, customized its global marketing to tap into regional racing fervor. And Brad Pitt’s star power — described by Warner’s Jeffrey Goldstein as the film’s “secret sauce” — didn’t hurt either.
Meanwhile, other studios had a rougher weekend. Universal’s highly anticipated M3gan 2.0 failed to scare up the expected numbers, earning just $10.2 million across 3,112 theaters; that’s a far cry from the original’s $30.4 million debut. Despite the viral success of the first M3gan, the sequel stumbled out of the gate. Still, with a modest $25 million budget, it could find legs in the weeks ahead — and a spin-off titled Soulm8te is already in the pipeline.
Also in the race, Universal’s live-action How to Train Your Dragon took second place with $19.4 million, pushing its domestic total past $200 million in just three weeks. Pixar’s Elio, on the other hand, continued to underwhelm. The film scraped together $10.7 million in its second weekend, bringing its two-week domestic total to just $42.2 million — a new low for the animation studio.
Apple’s F1 movie with an “A” CinemaScore and glowing reviews, the film has the traction to hold strong despite upcoming competition like Jurassic World Rebirth.
“This film’s outstanding debut reflects both the excitement of Formula 1 and the emotional storytelling crafted by the creative team,” said Apple exec Zack Van Amburg. For Apple, the box office earnings is all about claiming a seat at Hollywood’s top table and after this roaring start, the finish line looks closer than ever.
Read more: Apple Launches Its First Sports App for Fans
