F1 shot out of the gates to deliver a record Apple Original Films opening weekend on an estimated $55.6m from 3,661 cinemas through theatrical distribution partner Warner Bros.
Executives at Warner Bros said approximately 55% of weekend business came from premium formats, and Imax sources confirmed their 414 screens generated a whopping $12.8m and over-indexed on 23% of the North American gross.
F1 earned $144m worldwide in a new global opening weekend record for Brad Pitt – Screen will report full international details on Monday – and delivered a statement launch from Apple in a genre has not always prospered at the box office.
Rush finished on $26.9m in North America after its September 2013 debut through Universal, and Fox’s Ford v Ferrari earned $117.6m from a November 2019 launch through Disney. Both earned solid reviews.
Joseph Kosinski directed F1 and reunited with his Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer on the story starring Pitt and Damson Idris as a former Formula 1 driver who teams up with a rookie. The cast includes Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem. British Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth in the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, is among the producers alongside Kosinski, Bruckheimer, Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Chad Oman.
The F1 opening augurs well for the weeks ahead, given that the production reportedly cost around $200m-$250m. July is traditionally the year’s most lucrative month at the box office and the feature will need to maintain speed. Universal releases Jurassic World: Rebirth on Wednesday.
Warner Bros reported that 58% of the audience was Caucasian, 17% Hispanic, 8% African-American, 12% Asian, and 5% Native-American/Other. EntTelligence estimated three million cinema-goers turned out for F1 and said males accounted for roughly 56% of ticket-buyers. The film carries an A CinemaScore, 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned strong reviews.
Sci-fi horror sequel M3GAN 2.0 from Blumhouse and Atomic Monsters delivered a lacklustre debut in fourth place on an estimated $10.2m through Universal Pictures in 3,112 theatres. That does not compare favourably with the original, which arrived in January 2023 on $30.3m and went on to gross $95.2m.
Far more satisfying for Universal was DreamWorks Animation’s live-action remake How To Train Your Dragon, which reached $200m in its third weekend after a $19.4m haul from 4,127 secured second place. Comfortably the second highest North American box office in the 15-year franchise, the remake should overtake the animated original’s $217.6m within a week or two and continue to play well into the summer holidays.
Disney reported that Pixar’s Elio in third place grossed $10.7m from 3,750 in its second weekend, bringing the tally to a muted $42.2m. Executives continue to wrestle with the post-Covid realisation among parents that Pixar films will land on Disney+ in the not-too-distant future, rendering smaller, original titles less effective in their theatrical releases.
Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later crossed $100m worldwide to rank as the highest of the franchise and added $9.7m in its second weekend in North America to rank fifth and boost the tally to $50.3m, which is also a record for the zombie series by some margin. Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams and Ralph Fiennes star.
Live-action remakes of fairly recent animated features has proved a winning formula this summer. In its sixth session Lilo & Stitch crossed $400m following a $6.9m take from 2,900 sites and stands at $400.1m. The family feature ranks sixth.
In the fourth weekend Lionsgate’s John Wick spin-off Ballerina starring Ana de Armas added $2.1m for ninth place and a $55.5m running total.
A24 enjoyed a strong limited bow for Sundance breakout Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby as it earned $88,492 on four screens. The drama recently played in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, cementing writer-director-actor Victor as a fast-rising talent.