Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Film Accelerates to Record-Breaking Apple TV+ Opening at Box Office

Summary

  • Brad Pitt’s F1 film debuted with a projected over $40 million domestically for its box office opening
  • The film’s strong performance secured the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, unseating Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon
  • F1 had a reported $200 million USD budget

In its first weekend, Brad Pitt’s much-awaited Formula One racing film, titled F1, surpassed estimates, raking in approximately $140 million USD at international box offices. This strong start not only knocked Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon off the top spot in its third week but also set a new benchmark: Apple Studios’ best-ever opening weekend earnings.

Under the direction of Joseph Kosinski, the movie features Brad Pitt portraying the character Sonny Hayes, a fictional F1 driver, alongside Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, and Javier Bardem. The film made its debut on June 16, 2025, at Radio City Music Hall before hitting theaters nationwide on June 27. It swiftly surpassed the previous record holder, Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which earned $23.2 million USD in 2023 during its premiere. Despite a reported budget of $200 million, the film’s impressive opening indicates a promising future. As a production by Apple Studios, “F1” was always intended for streaming on Apple TV+, making its box office earnings from theaters an added bonus in addition to potential revenue from subscribers. This dual-release strategy provides a unique route to profitability.

The initial response to the movie has generally been favorable, with viewers giving it an “A” rating on CinemaScore and a positive score on Rotten Tomatoes. Although some people have pointed out the numerous Apple product placements, the film’s dynamic direction and authentic racing scenes have been commended by many. The movie marks a successful venture for Apple’s growing film division and is expected to be the summer’s top adult-oriented box office draw after a stretch of family-focused releases.

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2025-06-29 07:25