Can Brad Pitt's 'Fl' movie finally deliver Apple a big-screen hit?

Prerelease surveys indicate "Fl" is struggling to generate interest among audiences beyond older men

- Ben Fritz & Joe Flint

When the team behind this week's Brad Pitt movie "Fl" first pitched their idea around Hollywood, nearly every major entertainment company wanted in, and a bidding war quickly erupted. Then Apple bigfooted them all.

The tech giant agreed to spend nearly $250 million, more than any other studio thought the drama about an aging driver's last shot at glory was worth, said people with knowledge of the matter. Pitt was paid more than the $20 million standard for A-list movie stars and will get a cut of the film's revenue if it's a hit.

"Fl" is one of Apple's biggest entertainment bets since it leapt into Hollywood in 2019 and embodies its unusually lavish and meticulous approach to the business, which has brought little commercial success. People who have worked at or with the company say Apple executives crave hits, but only want to produce content they believe reflects the high-end, aspirational qualities of the iPhone and MacBook. There's little chance, in other words, that Apple would make a critically reviled blockbuster like "A Minecraft Movie."

With sleek production values and strong reviews, "Fl" is exactly the kind of movie Apple wants. It was made by "Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and Apple executives have privately said they hope it will be the land-based equivalent of the airborne blockbuster, which grossed $1.5 billion in 2022.

But prerelease surveys indicate "Fl" is struggling to generate interest among audiences beyond older men. Its success or failure will be a referendum on Apple's ability to meld carefully curated content with broad popular appeal after six years in which it hasn't released a single box-office hit.