F1: The Movie has been grabbing headlines since its release. Apple Original Films seems to have hit the right chord with the audience. The Brad Pitt starrer was released on June 27, 2025, and has since broken every record for the production house.
F1: The Movie becomes the biggest hit by Apple Original Films
Apple has finally had its biggest box-office hit with F1: The Movie. The film debuted in North America with a massive collection of 55.6 million US dollars. According to the studio estimates on June 29, 2025, the film crossed 144 million US dollars globally, handing the company its biggest opening to date. While Apple has had some notable successes in its six years of operations, none have closed on the same level as F1: The Movie during its first weekend.
The Apple Original Films projects over the years
Apple Original Films has secured some of the best films in the past six years, including the 2021 Oscar-winning film, CODA. However, the film’s theatrical reviews have been divided. The production house further backed Argylle and Fly Me to the Moon, but both ended up losing audience and box office appeal. Apple returned with some big-budget award plays with Napoleon and Killers of the Flower Moon. Nonetheless, they garnered more viewership from Apple TV+ than from cinema halls. So, the response to F1: The Movie is truly a game changer for Apple.
Apple got into a bidding war for F1: The Movie
Securing the rights for F1: The Movie has not been easy for the tech company. However, it became Apple’s first foray into the summer blockbuster category. The film not only won a bidding war for the project against the production team behind the 2022 money maker, Top Gun: Maverick, but it also partnered with Warner Bros. to distribute the film, starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for Apple just yet, as the film has several more laps to go before turning profitable. The film was made with a budget of 200 million US dollars, but F1: The Movie is not lagging behind in crossing the finish line.
Car racing films in theatres over the years
Racing films have often struggled in theatres, as there is a thin line between entertainment and exaggeration when it comes to the niche. Several films, including 2013’s Rush and 2023’s Ferrari, have become proof that a crash and burn can occur at the box office. However, F1: The Movie is built on the ‘Formula 1’ fandom and the popular series, Formula 1: Drive to Survive. The film further leans on Top Gun: Maverick’s director, Joseph Kosinski and producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, to deliver another adult-oriented action thriller, which makes it a recipe for success.
The reviews for F1: The Movie have been extremely positive thus far, and the audience’s reaction has been the icing on the cake. The film was expected to go dull against the horror sequel, M3gan 2.0. However, the Universal’s robot doll didn’t match the magic of its 2022 original film. This has given the makers some hope that the film might hold up well against the upcoming competition Jurassic World: Rebirth.
What are your thoughts on F1: The Movie? Let us know.
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