'F1: THE MOVIE' DRIVES APPLE TO BOX OFFICE GLORY

Apple's F1: The Movie has raced past $293 million at the global box office, clinching the title of the company's highest-grossing theatrical release ever.

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Distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery, the film, starring Brad Pitt as a Formula 1 driver, outpaced Ridley Scott's Napoleon ($221 million) in just 10 days since its June 27 debut, marking a milestone for Apple's fledgling film studio. With $60 million from IMAX screens alone-20.4% of its global haul-and $109 million domestically, the movie has become Brad Pitt's 12th highestgrossing film, per ScreenRant.

The film's $57 million opening weekend, the biggest for any Apple Studios title, set the stage for its climb, fueled by a star-studded cast, immersive IMAX cinematography, and a marketing blitz across Apple's ecosystem, including Apple Pay discounts and Formula 1 broadcasts. Despite a hefty $200-$300 million production budget and $100 million in marketing, profitability remains elusive due to revenue splits with theaters and Warner Bros.

Yet, Apple's $94 billion cash reserves and focus on streaming buzz make this a strategic win, as noted by Comscore's Paul Dergarabedian.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick fame, F1 blends real Grand Prix footage with a fictional team's drama, drawing 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and strong word-of-mouth. As it nears $300 million, the film signals Apple's growing clout in Hollywood, but its path to profit and future theatrical plans face scrutiny.

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