“F1” premiere marks Brad Pitt’s historic victory
The film “F1,” starring Brad Pitt, recorded a global debut of $144 million over the weekend, establishing itself as the biggest worldwide opening of the actor’s career. Released by Apple Original Films in partnership with Warner Bros., the movie earned $55.6 million in North America and $88.4 million in international markets. The performance surpassed Pitt’s previous record with “World War Z” ($112 million) and stood out as the actor’s top international debut, excluding inflation adjustments.
The production also secured exclusivity in Imax theaters and other premium screens until the arrival of “Superman” on July 11, which boosted results: 58% of tickets sold came from these formats, with Imax accounting for $27.7 million, equivalent to 19.2% of worldwide revenue.
Performance drives Apple’s productions
“F1” features Brad Pitt as a former Formula 1 driver convinced to come out of retirement to compete alongside a young pilot, played by Damson Idris. The investment in the film, directed by Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick”), which counts on Pitt himself, veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and driver Lewis Hamilton in its executive team, has surpassed $200 million, with projections indicating the need for a long theatrical run to reach profitability.
Even with the high cost, the release represents a new chapter for Apple, following the modest performance of productions such as “The Killer of the Flower Moon” and “Napoleon,” which ended their theatrical runs at a loss. The movie has received positive reviews, with an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an A grade on CinemaScore, reinforcing its high audience approval rate.
According to Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s global head of video: “This success is proof of the vision of Joe [Kosinski], Jerry [Brukheimer], Brad [Pitt], and Lewis [Hamilton], as well as the effort of the entire cast and crew. With ‘F1,’ they created a cinematic experience that captures the energy and spirit of the sport.”
“M3GAN 2.0” disappoints
While “F1” dominated the market, the horror film “M3GAN 2.0” underperformed in its debut, opening in 4th place with $10.2 million in the U.S. ($17.2 million globally), far short of the first movie’s success. Directed by Gerard Johnstone, the film primarily attracted a female audience, but audience reactions were lukewarm, earning a B+ CinemaScore. Critics were even less generous, resulting in a “rotten” 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
How did the rest of the Top 5 turn out?
“How to Train Your Dragon” took the second place with $19.4 million, boosting its box office revenue to $200 million in the U.S. and $454.4 million worldwide. In third place, Pixar’s animated film “Elio” added another $10.7 million in its second weekend, reaching $72.3 million globally.
The Top 5 is completed by another film released last weekend: the horror movie “Splice: The Evolution,” with $9.7 million. The amount raises its total to $50 million in the domestic market and $103 million worldwide.
With this week’s new releases, the live-action version of “Lilo & Stitch” dropped to 6th place but rounded up $400 million in the U.S., reaching $946 million worldwide, the second-highest result of the year in Hollywood, only behind “Minecraft Movie.”
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