The excitement surrounding the F1 movie is palpable, with a remarkable opening weekend of $57M, marking a significant achievement for the film and its creators.
F1 Movie Opens Strong with $57M
F1 fever is in the air, and the Apple Original Films and Warner Bros’ theatrical release is coming in higher with a $57M opening weekend. Warners reported a 3-day estimate of $55.6M yesterday. This marks the second highest opening for Brad Pitt after 2013’s World War Z at $66.4M. For director Joseph Kosinski, it’s his second biggest opening after Top Gun: Maverick ($126.7M).
Strong Performance Among Competitors
Among the top five movies yesterday, F1 had the best hold with a mere -17% drop between Saturday and Sunday, totaling $14.5M, while other titles saw declines of -20% or more.
Producer Insights
F1 producer Jerry Bruckheimer spoke with Deadline about the film’s success and shared his weekend experiences. “I went to the Chinese Theatre and Universal Citywalk, and the audience was having a blast,” he noted, achieving his 28th ‘A’-range CinemaScore (A+, A, or A-) this weekend with F1. “Audiences are riveted; you don’t see a head move.”
Reviving the Racing Genre
Similar to how Bruckheimer revitalized the Pirates genre with Pirates of the Caribbean, he has once again breathed life into the racing car movie genre. However, he credits the creative team for the film’s success. “Joseph Kosinski came up with a great story, and Brad Pitt really helped. Lewis Hamilton got us through. I’m just along for the ride, but you have to give credit to the creative guys,” he stated.
Production Challenges
F1 was filmed at ten Formula One races worldwide and the Daytona 500. The production faced two strikes and had to shut down completely four days into shooting. During the strike, a second unit filmed the races.
Character-Driven Storytelling
When asked about the choice of a Formula One movie over NASCAR, Bruckheimer emphasized, “We don’t think about that. It’s all about the characters and great stories.” He believes this approach makes niche sports movies accessible to everyone.
An Emotional Journey
“It’s a four-quadrant movie whether you like racing or not. There’s high scores among women as well. Everyone wants a second chance. In a world that’s a mess, here’s a movie where you lose yourself for two hours. It’s an emotional journey for the audience; it’s fun and romantic,” he added.
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Future Projects
Meanwhile, a Days of Thunder reboot and Top Gun 3 are still in development under Bruckheimer’s supervision.
Demographics and Expectations
The demographics for F1 were 62% male and 38% female; 53% under 35 and 47% over 35. Given the outstanding CinemaScores, industry expectations suggest that F1 will attract a younger and more female audience as the summer progresses.
Marketing Strategies
While Warner Bros and Apple executed a comprehensive marketing strategy, exhibitors also contributed creatively. For instance, the Midwest chain B&B ran go-karts around their lobbies to promote F1.
Indie Circuit Promotions
On the indie circuit, The Lindsay Theater outside of Pittsburgh celebrated the opening day of F1: The Movie by partnering with Pittsburgh Cars ‘N’ Coffee to feature an exclusive vintage car display.
Upcoming Competitors
Universal’s Jurassic World: Rebirth is set to open Wednesday, expected to gross between $120M-$130M over five days at 4,300 theaters. Despite this competition, F1 is anticipated to maintain its momentum.
