The US$145 million global opening of Apple’s F1 The Movie came as a relief, both for the iPhone maker itself and cinema operators in the United States hoping for an original hit during this sequel-dominated summer of blockbusters.
The expensive action sports drama, starring Brad Pitt, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, was a high-stakes gamble by the California-based tech giant, which until now has enjoyed little success at cinemas.
The film did better than expected in the US and Canada, generating US$57 million in ticket sales in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates.
Analysts were projecting US$40 million to US$50 million, based on pre-release tracking. Warner Bros. Pictures, which is on a much-needed hot streak, distributed F1 in partnership with Apple.
Because the movie cost at least US$200 million to make after tax breaks and before marketing costs, the picture is still far from profitable.