“F1” movie returns to IMAX after $460m box office success

The F1 movie will return to IMAX theatres after extraordinary box office success. Apple’s Formula 1 blockbuster, led by Brad Pitt, saw earnings of more than $460 million worldwide, making this the highest-grossing movie to come from the tech company. 

Since its June 27 release in the United States, the movie gained the momentum it needed to exceed the industry’s expectations, earning over $140 million globally in its opening weekend. Now with talks of a potential sequel, its re-release in IMAX theatres comes as no surprise, with the large-format delivering 10% of the movie’s opening box office weekend revenue – a strong contribution considering the small number of available screens. 

“We’re thrilled by the global response to F1 and grateful to the audiences who’ve embraced the film with such enthusiasm,” Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of worldwide video, told Variety. “This success is a testament to the vision of Joe [Kosinski], Jerry [Bruckheimer], Brad, and Lewis [Hamilton], along with the efforts of the entire cast and crew.

“Together with Formula 1, they’ve created an inspiring cinematic journey that captures the energy and spirit of the sport.”

The movie quickly became Pitt’s most successful project as it gained unrivalled access to the championship and a strong collaboration with Lewis Hamilton, who joined as a producer. 

“All what you have seen is real,” producer Jerry Bruckheimer told the media after they watched the movie for the first time. “[Everything] that you have seen has happened. It’s not fake. It’s not coming from another dimension. So that means that one object that we had was really to feel the authenticity of what we are showing to the world.”

Hamilton joining forces with the team allowed them to tell a story closer to reality thanks to detailed input from the seven-time champion. 

“I emailed [Lewis] and just said, ‘I want to tell a story in your world. I want to make it as authentic as possible. Will you help me?’” director Joseph Kosinski told media at the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. “And luckily, Lewis said yes.

“His involvement has been amazing,” he continued. “We couldn’t make the film without him.

“At Hungary for instance, he said, ‘If Brad’s going to let someone pass during a blue flag and he wants it to be as tight as possible, he’s going to only do that at Turn 6.’

“That kind of detail … from a seven-time world champion who lives and breathes this world every day, I couldn’t have gotten that from anywhere else.”

The re-release of F1 comes on 8 August.