Apple's $350 Million Gamble on 'F1' Is Starting to Pay Off

Apple's latest original film, "F1: The Movie," has become the company's highest-grossing theatrical release to date, earning over $293 million globally within ten days of release, Variety reports.

According to Variety, the film earned $146 million globally during its opening weekend and has since surpassed $293 million worldwide, overtaking Ridley Scott's "Napoleon" ($221 million) and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" ($158 million) as Apple's highest box office performer to date. Two of Apple's movies, "Fly Me to the Moon" ($42 million) and "Argylle" ($96 million), severely underperformed.

IMAX screenings have been a significant contributor to revenue, accounting for $60 million globally, or roughly 20% of total ticket sales. Outside of the United States and Canada, where F1 has grossed $109.5 million to date, the top-performing international markets include China ($22 million), the United Kingdom ($17.3 million), Mexico ($12.3 million), France ($11.5 million), and Australia ($9.8 million).

The production cost for F1 is estimated to have exceeded $250 million, with marketing expenses reportedly adding another $100 million. While the film's box office performance has exceeded that of Apple's previous theatrical titles, the total gross remains below the estimated break-even threshold for a film with such a high combined budget. Box office returns are also typically split between studios and exhibitors, with studios often receiving around 50% of domestic ticket revenue and a smaller share internationally. As a result, it is unlikely that F1 has yet recouped its full investment from theatrical ticket sales alone.

Following its run in theaters, F1 is expected to become available on Apple TV+ later in 2025.