The Formula 1 movie became Apple’s highest-grossing project, with $293 million in 10 days at the box office

The Formula 1 movie became Apple’s highest-grossing project, with $293 million in 10 days at the box office

Formula 1 grossed $293 million at the global box office in ten days, surpassing the previous Apple record holders, Ridley Scott’s Napoleon ($221 million) and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Full Moon ($158 million). Thus, F1 has officially become the most successful film in the history of Apple’s theatrical releases, Variety reports.

Despite the fact that the company has only five full-fledged movie releases, and two of them – Fly Me to the Moon ($42 million) and Argyll ($96 million) – were commercial failures, F1’s performance is considered a positive signal for Apple’s cinematic ambitions.

The film, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), tells the story of a Formula One veteran played by Brad Pitt who returns from retirement to train a young driver and save a failing team. The film was shot using IMAX cameras at real Formula 1 races, which ensured the film’s success at premium screens – IMAX alone brought in $60 million, or 20.4% of the total box office.

In its opening weekend, Formula 1 grossed $57 million in the U.S. and $146 million worldwide, becoming Apple’s biggest opening at the box office. The total box office outside the US and Canada is now $109.5 million. The most successful markets include China ($22 million), the United Kingdom ($17.3 million), Mexico ($12.3 million), France ($11.5 million), and Australia ($9.8 million).

Despite its commercial success, the movie has not yet paid off: according to sources, production cost more than $250 million, and marketing cost another $100 million. Nevertheless, the strong start of Formula 1 gives Apple reasons not to curtail its movie business, despite competition from high-profile releases such as Jurassic World Revival, Superman, and Fantastic Four: The First Steps.

In the future, analysts say, Apple’s future strategy in big movies will not depend on this movie alone. However, the success of F1 demonstrates the potential of original content for adult audiences – especially if you have a company with a market capitalization of more than $3 trillion behind you.