After a run of previews, the early results for “F1” at the box office are in and show some promise.
The motorsport movie netted $10 million at the box office during early screenings. The movie opened on Friday, June 27, though certain theaters were holding early showings ahead of the official release.
The projected box office is $115 million for the opening weekend, recouping more than half of the film’s reported production cost.
The movie reportedly cost a total of about $200 million to produce – without accounting for the marketing budget.
Joseph Kosinski directed the film, which was produced by Apple Studios and features notable input from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was a producer on the film, giving his feedback on the accuracy of the movie to the sport itself.
The Ferrari driver also added to the story of the movie, according to Kosinski.
“Lewis also contributed to the story. I mean, there’s a part in the film where Sonny Hayes talks about why he races, and almost the spiritual side of it,” the director said.
“And that also was inspired by a conversation with Lewis. His involvement has been amazing. We couldn’t make the film without him.”
Kosinski also worked on “Top Gun: Maverick,” making him the ideal leader of an action film featuring some of the fastest cars on the planet. Legendary composer Hans Zimmer worked on the music for the film.
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris are the lead actors in the film, portraying two teammates who battle it out on the track.
Ahead of the movie, both Pitt and Idris went through exhaustive training for the film, driving several race cars at different tracks.
“F1” features real drivers and teams appearing and making cameos, adding to the film’s realism and connecting the atmosphere to what happened in the 2023 season.
The movie sees retired driver Sonny Hayes return to the paddock after his former teammate and friend, Ruben, asks him to come back. The fictional team APXGP is on the verge of being sold and needs a sharp upturn in form.
Hayes, played by Pitt, needs to mentor the young hotshot Joshua Pierce (Idris) as the pair takes on a mentor-mentee relationship.
The movie is set to be a summer blockbuster, pacing to beat out many of the summer movies, though it will likely fall short of Marvel’s “Fantastic Four” and “Superman.”
More F1 news: How Lewis Hamilton Made the F1 Movie Production More Expensive
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