F1: The Movie Worldwide Box Office(Photo Credit –YouTube)
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Brad Pitt has entered pole position at the global box office. With Apple’s high-octane racing drama F1, the actor delivers one of the year’s most unexpected commercial triumphs, both for himself and for the tech giant’s streaming-first film strategy. F1 has now crossed the $400 million mark worldwide (per Box Office Mojo), putting it ahead of Jason Statham’s Meg 2: The Trench, which held its own post-pandemic and was one of his highest-grossing films outside the Fast & Furious franchise. The film was fueled partly by Chinese investment and found a strong market in China, despite Hollywood’s shrinking presence there.
Meg 2 Falls Behind as F1 Overtakes Statham’s Blockbuster
Meg 2 had a production budget of around $139 million and was directed by Ben Wheatley, an unexpected pick for a film like that. It fell short of the original Meg’s $500 million haul but came surprisingly close, considering the circumstances.
However, F1 plays on a different scale altogether. Its estimated budget is around $300 million, though director Joseph Kosinski has questioned that figure. Even with a more generous margin, it’s easily Apple’s most expensive and highest-grossing movie yet, leaving behind Killers of the Flower Moon ($158m), Napoleon ($221m), and Argylle ($96m). And while the numbers are strong, this summer’s box office is packed, and F1 is slowly making room for newer releases.
F1: The Movie Box Office Summary
Domestic – $144m
International – $257m
Worldwide- $401m
The movie has been a critical success, earning an 83% score from reviewers and a near-flawless 97% from audiences. Many have linked its style and energy to Kosinski’s earlier hit, Top Gun: Maverick, but even with that level of praise, the steep production cost means F1 may still fall short of profitability in its theatrical run alone.
However, F1 still needs more than $541 million to become Brad Pitt’s biggest hit, surpassing World War Z ($540m). That film also carried a high price tag but pulled through. F1, built for giant screens and popular on IMAX, thrives on spectacle. There is talk of a sequel already, though for now, it’s a wait-and-watch finish as the film enters its final stretch in theaters.
