Record-Smashing Debut: Apple’s Latest Original Races to $144M Global Opening

Apple just scored its biggest box-office success ever with “F1,” which brought in $144 million globally during its opening weekend. In North America alone, the film made $55.6 million, according to studio estimates released on Sunday, June 29.

This is a big win for Apple, which has had a mixed history when it comes to releasing movies in theaters. While they’ve won awards — like the Oscar for “CODA” in 2021 — they haven’t had much luck turning their movies into big theater hits.

Films like “Argylle,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” and big-budget titles like “Napoleon” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” were more successful on their streaming service, Apple TV+, than at the box office.

But “F1” was Apple’s first attempt at a true summer blockbuster. They won the rights after a bidding war and teamed up with Warner Bros. to get it into theaters. The film stars Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon and was made by the same team behind the 2022 hit “Top Gun: Maverick.”

The movie cost more than $200 million to make, so it still has work to do before making a profit. Still, its strong start has Apple feeling optimistic.

“The film’s outstanding debut reflects both the excitement of Formula 1 and the deeply emotional and entertaining story crafted by the entire cast and creative team,” said Zack Van Amburg, who runs Apple’s worldwide video division with Jamie Erlicht. “Their dedication and innovation have fueled an unforgettable cinematic experience.”

Racing movies don’t always do well in theaters. Past examples like “Rush” and “Ferrari” didn’t really catch on with audiences. But “F1” had a few things working in its favor. It used the popularity of the Netflix series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” to build interest and brought in “Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to create a high-energy movie made for the big screen.

They even put IMAX cameras inside the cars to give viewers a more intense experience. That paid off — more than half the ticket sales came from IMAX and other large-format screens. IMAX has locked in a three-week run for the movie, which should help it keep making money.

Outside the U.S., the film also did well, especially in places where Formula 1 is more popular. According to Jeffrey Goldstein, Warner Bros.’ head of distribution, Brad Pitt played a big role in attracting viewers. “We came up with multiple campaigns based on where you are in the world,” he said. “We planned for an audience-winner: Screen the movie and get it out there. People talking about this movie drove this movie.”

Critics liked the film, and audiences loved it, giving it an “A” grade on CinemaScore. That means it could have strong legs in the weeks ahead, even with big competition like “Jurassic World Rebirth” hitting theaters soon.

Paul Dergarabedian, a media analyst at Comscore, gave credit to Warner Bros. for helping make “F1” feel like a real event. “For Apple, this demonstrates to them the prestige factor of having a big theatrical release,” he said. “It elevates their brand.”

Meanwhile, other films didn’t have such strong weekends. Universal’s horror sequel “M3gan 2.0” made $10.2 million, far less than the $30.4 million opening of the first movie in 2022. Still, with a smaller budget of $25 million, it could still turn a profit. A spinoff called “Soulm8te” is already in the works for next year.

“How to Train Your Dragon,” which was the box-office leader for the last two weekends, slipped to second place with $19.4 million but has now made more than $200 million in the U.S.

Pixar’s “Elio” continued to struggle. After a weak opening, it added $10.7 million in its second weekend, bringing its total to just $42.2 million after two weeks.

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