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Apple’s Formula One-inspired film went full-throttle this weekend at the domestic box office.
“F1” has earned over $55 million domestically since debuting in theaters on Friday, according to Warner Bros.
The sports drama, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, managed to beat out Universal Pictures’ live-action remake of “How to Train Your Dragon” and Disney’s “Elio” to place first at the box office.
Overseas, “F1” raked in over $88 million for a total of $144 million globally.
This weekend’s numbers are a victory for Apple, which heavily promoted the film and its stars ahead of the premiere. iPhone users received a notification offering discounted tickets, could use Apple Maps to view the race tracks where the crew filmed, and gained access to a special version of the trailer that activated the iPhone’s haptics to match the vehicle’s engines onscreen.
Idris briefly donned a F1 driver uniform at the 2025 Met Gala in May, while Pitt made a surprise appearance at a New York City-based Apple store this month.
While Apple is one of the world’s most influential tech giants, original film production is a newer division for the company, meaning it’s still catching up to major studios like Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Walt Disney Studios. Films like “Killer of the Flower Moon” in 2023 helped bolster the studio’s clout but haven’t done much for its bottom line.
Apple’s streaming service, meanwhile, has also had some hits recently with Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” and the dystopian workplace drama “Severance.” It still lags far behind streamers like Netflix, however.
Business Insider’s Peter Kafka has wondered aloud about Apple’s long-term strategy for its theatrical releases. Is it an expensive marketing play that could ultimately bolster its core business: iPhones? Or is this an effort to diversify as iPhone sales plateau? Or something else entirely?
Apple’s latest film came after its annual Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month. Although the company unveiled its new “Liquid Glass” software, Wall Street analysts were left underwhelmed that no “killer” AI feature was offered.
After the lackluster conference, the success of “F1” will likely come as a relief to Apple insiders.
“I know there’s a lot of different views out there about why we’re into it,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told Variety earlier this month, referencing the company’s movie business. “We’re into it to tell great stories, and we want it to be a great business as well. That’s why we’re into it, just plain and simple.”
Representatives for Apple did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
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