Apple’s high-octane racing drama F1: The Movie, starring Brad Pitt, surged to the top of the U.S. and Canadian box office this weekend with a $55.6 million opening, outperforming pre-release expectations and marking Apple’s most successful theatrical launch to date.
The film follows Pitt as a seasoned Formula 1 driver making a comeback after a career-threatening accident. Directed by Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick fame, F1 combines cinematic adrenaline with emotional storytelling, earning an A rating from audiences polled by CinemaScore.
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Globally, the film has grossed over $88 million, driven by Formula 1’s passionate fan base in Europe and Latin America. Analysts say racing films rarely achieve such success, noting that F1 has already outpaced the $31 million opening of 2019’s Ford v Ferrari.
Apple invested heavily in the film’s production and promotion, reportedly spending over $200 million. From a major push during Tim Cook’s WWDC keynote to exclusive iPhone offers and Apple Music tie-ins, the campaign helped broaden the film’s appeal beyond F1 fans.
Distributed by Warner Bros, the marketing strategy smartly highlighted Lewis Hamilton’s role in Europe and Pitt’s star power in North America. With this win, Apple has proven it can translate streaming prestige into box office dominance.
