I’ve been to and through enough media rodeos to know that just when so-called experts are ready to completely write off something that used to be commonplace as extinct, something unexpected occurs to debunk such a verdict. Sitcoms were dead; then along came THE COSBY SHOW. Big-money quiz shows were unnecessarily pricey and outdated; then WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE started a cottage industry. Talent competitions were passe; then we got AMERICAN IDOL.
And then when the myths of television were disproven, pundits moved on to movies. And most recently one that’s become gospel among streamers involved in them is that you really don’t need the marketing expense and time lag of a theatrical run.
Unless, of course, you happen to have something great which the experience of watching on a far larger and more technologically tripped out screen than even your headset can provide a undeniable value proposition worth the time and money. And it sure appears some of my one-time colleagues have it and then some. As DEADLINE’s Anthony D’Alessandro gushed yesterday morning:
It’s a win for original movies. It’s a win for racing car movies. It’s a win for the Zack Van Amburg- and Jamie Erlicht-led Apple Original Films on the big screen, and it’s another win for Warner Bros, which has showed under the Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy regime that original event movies can be launched…F1…is opening to $144M worldwide and $55.6M domestic.
Said Head of Worldwide Video Van Amburg: “F1 has inspired audiences around the globe with its underdog story and perfect blend of high-octane racing and human-centered storytelling. The film’s outstanding debut reflects both the excitement of Formula 1 and the deeply emotional and entertaining story crafted by the entire cast and creative team. Their dedication and innovation have fueled an unforgettable cinematic experience.”
Head of Worldwide Video Erlicht added: “We’re thrilled by the global response to F1 and grateful to the audiences who’ve embraced the film with such enthusiasm. This success is a testament to the vision of Joe, Jerry, Brad, and Lewis, along with the efforts of the entire cast and crew. Together with Formula 1, they’ve created an inspiring cinematic journey that captures the energy and spirit of the sport.”
And for a change these self-congratulations from this industry’s most enduring two-headed monster are backed up by data. As usual on any given Sunday, THE ANKLER’s Sean McNulty copiously broke down the drivers in his WAKEUP newsletter:
- 52% White, 23% Latino, 11% Asian and 10% Black.
- 62% men / 38% women
- Pretty even 53%/47% over/under 35 split
- 29% was 13-24’s . . . so yes, the kids came out for Brad Pitt despite folks swearing they wouldn’t.
- IMAX was $28M, or a very nice 19.4% of the global total.
- IMAX + PLF screens were a
55% of U.S. ticket sales
Almost anyone you may talk who’s part of a family will confess that the only content that is deemed worthy of watching communally on a larger screen is something with broad appeal and unique execution. These figures are pretty much exemplary.
Not that all is rosy in Culver City and Cupertino, as the LOS ANGELES TIMES’ killjoys Samantha Masunaga and Ryan Faughnder were quick to point out:
Powered by the global appeal of Formula One racing, the film took in an additional $88 million internationally. Still, with a reported budget of more than $200 million, not including marketing costs, “F1” will still need significantly more ticket sales to break even.
Only three Hollywood films so far this year have grossed more than $500 million globally — “A Minecraft Movie,” “Lilo & Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” — and each of those opened above “F1” domestically.
And then there are the thoughts from the like of FORBES’ Kanzah Maktoum who observed that perhaps the lowest-hanging fruit out there might not be driving that 97 per cent ROTTEN TOMATOES score that F1 achieved:
The F1 movie clearly sets out to ground itself in realism. Director Joseph Kosinski, alongside Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda, designed custom camera rigs that could not only mount directly onto the cars but also be operated remotely. Much effort was made to ensure they could capture the thrill of the racing scenes.
However, the movie often teeters awkwardly between authenticity and spectacle. Some scenes depict Sonny Hayes using tactics that would never fly under FIA regulations: excessively slowing on the formation lap to gain an advantage, intentionally causing a crash to trigger a safety car, and holding up rivals under blue flags.
From the get-go, it was clear the F1 movie wasn’t targeting seasoned fans. Like Drive To Survive, F1 is an onboarding ramp to bring in those who know little about the sport but like fast cars, big names, and cool racing scenes and underdog arcs.
But fortunately for ZJ and company, there’s far more folks out there that fall into that onboarding ramp subset than otherwise. And as D’Alessandro adds, this race is far from its bell lap:
For those cynics wondering why F1 didn’t move the odometer past it’s already overindexed $55M, we’re in a 10-day holiday stretch, dummies. The fantastic buzz is out there on this Brad Pitt movie, and now everyone wants the best Imax or PLF seats in the house, so they’ll wait. No one wants to sit in the first two rows. Plus, there’s plenty of times to go to the movies.
While studios like Universal will tubthump their tentpoles through myriad tentacles of their entertainment vertical, Apple promotes its movies and series to those who own some of the 2.2 billion Apple products. Read, for F1 the $3 trillion company introduced the first-of-its-kind haptic trailer for iPhone, a means of marketing that has rival studios jealous. The trailer used the Taptic Engine, a component inside the handset that creates tactile feedback. The trailer was timed to key moments in the trailer from the rumble of car engines to Pitt’s seat buckle.
So maybe your device isn’t the ideal place to watch the movie, but it’s a damn good place for someone to be goaded into a theatre to sample those additional bells and whistles, if for no other reason than a frame of reference when it does become available to Apple’s subscribers. Which, per DIGITAL SPY’s Ian Sandwell, bodes to be relatively far off:
A lot will depend on how well F1 does at the cinema, but we’d assume it’ll be at least three months which would put F1’s streaming release in late September 2025.
That would seem to align with the anticipated release date of the iPhone 17 family, which per FORBES is reportedly September 19th. And hey, right on the cusp of the Azerbijan Grand Prix (September 21st) to boot.
Which conceivably gives Apple, Warner Brothers and potentially you plenty of time to join the party and spread the gospel. Because while the action on screen may be fast and furious, slow and steady usually wins the majority of box office races.
Until next time…