Apple’s sports drama F1 has now completed a full month in theaters worldwide, surpassing significant box office milestones and cementing its status as one of the decade’s largest original films. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt, the movie has leveraged the global popularity of Formula One racing while also performing strongly in domestic markets, making it a notable success for Apple.
The film has earned over $165 million in the United States and approximately $344 million internationally, bringing its cumulative global total to $509 million. This places F1 close to overtaking the $531 million lifetime gross of World War Z, which is poised to become Brad Pitt’s most successful film to date. While the reported production budget stands around $300 million—making F1 one of the most expensive films ever made—Kosinski has contested this figure. Regardless, it marks Apple’s boldest theatrical venture, outpacing previous large-budget releases like Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, which did not recoup their substantial costs in theaters.
Comparisons with Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes Franchise
F1’s strong box office numbers have allowed it to surpass several Brad Pitt past films, including Troy and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Notably, it has also exceeded the box office performance of Guy Ritchie‘s Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, which earned just under $500 million globally. The Sherlock Holmes franchise’s sequel, A Game of Shadows, fared slightly better, but efforts to continue the series with a third installment have stalled amid ongoing development issues. Meanwhile, Ritchie’s attempts to launch new franchises have not met similar success.
Future Prospects: Possible Sequel and Franchise Expansion
F1’s positive critical reception, including a near-perfect 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, highlights its impact with viewers. The film’s ensemble cast features Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, Damson Idris as Joshua “Noah” Pearce, Kerry Condon, and Javier Bardem. The story follows retired Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes mentoring a young racing prodigy, Joshua Pierce, as they collaborate to revive a struggling racing team.
Discussions about a sequel are underway, and industry rumors suggest a potential crossover with Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder, directed by Joseph Kosinski, who also helmed the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. This connection opens possibilities for future expansions in the racing drama genre. F1 is still exclusively in theaters, with no home video release announced yet.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Guy Ritchie a true story?
A. Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant doesn’t follow a real person’s story but takes inspiration from history. In 2016, The Smithsonian published an article called, The Haunting Fate of the Afghan Interpreters the U.S. Left Behind. This piece, released two years before the movie’s timeline, sheds light on the background for the film.
Q. Is Guy Ritchie dyslexic?
A. Ritchie, who has dyslexia, went to Windlesham House School in West Sussex and Stanbridge Earls School in Hampshire. He was kicked out of school when he was 15. Ritchie said he was expelled for using drugs, but his father mentioned he was skipping classes and spending time with a girl in his room.
