The world's fastest motorsport continues its hot streak, this time on the big screen. Riding high on the momentum of Drive to Survive, Apple's F1 movie, starring Brad Pitt, has now surpassed $500 million at the global box office. It premiered on June 27, and in under a month, it has become Apple's most successful theatrical release to date.
The success has been so overwhelming that an IMAX re-release is planned for August, likely to give ticket sales another turbo boost. Before long, F1 is also expected to outgross the combined earnings of all previous Apple original films, a remarkable achievement that has far exceeded industry expectations, especially in international markets.
Sure, the movie had a sky-high production cost, reportedly close to $300 million, but Apple is said to be "extremely pleased" with the results. The film has also driven a wave of new Apple TV+ subscriptions.
Whether Apple will commit to more theatrical releases in the future remains to be seen, but with F1, they may have just found their box office formula.