“F1: The Movie” dominates box office with $55.6 million sales

30th June 2025 – (Los Angeles) The high-octane racing film “F1: The Movie” revved up to claim the top spot at the domestic box office this weekend, as per Comscore.

Starring Brad Pitt as a Formula 1 driver making a comeback post a career-threatening accident, the movie raked in $55.6 million in ticket sales in the United States and Canada, surpassing The Boxoffice Company’s pre-weekend forecast of $45 million to $55 million. Globally, the film amassed over $88 million, buoyed by Formula 1’s dedicated fan base in Europe and Latin America.

According to Daniel Loria, senior vice president at The Boxoffice Company, racing films often struggle at the box office. Even the successful “Ford v. Ferrari” opened with a modest $31 million in November 2019.

Loria noted, “We haven’t seen many racing movies break through the barriers.”

An exception to this trend is the “Fast & Furious” franchise, which evolved from street racing to encompass heists, espionage, and even a daring moon mission.

“F1” had a range of factors contributing to its success. Director Joseph Kosinski infused the same adrenaline-pumping cinematic style from his work on the 2022 film “Top Gun: Maverick” into the Formula 1 racing scenes.

The popularity of Formula 1 racing was further stoked by Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” series, particularly in the United States.

Apple threw its weight behind the movie, an Apple Original Film that reportedly cost over $200 million to produce. The tech giant heavily promoted it during CEO Tim Cook’s keynote at this year’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference and offered a movie discount to iPhone users. Apple Music also showcased the film’s soundtrack. For Apple, this film represents a significant push for mainstream success. Previous cinematic endeavours like Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” received critical acclaim but saw a modest return of $68 million in domestic box office revenue.