UPDATE: One of our most anticipated films of the summer is Joseph Kosinski’s ”F1,” which, according to a press invite I just received, clocks in at an ambitious 155 minutes. It’ll certainly be one of the lengthier major studio movies of the season.
The social media embargo is supposed to lift on Thursday — that’s when we’ll get our first reaction on the film. The review embargo is still unclear.
Additionally, according to the WGA database, it looks as though Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) Jez Butterworth (“Ford v Ferrari”) and Chris Storer (“The Bear”) contributed to F1's script.
EARLIER: With the recent release of the film’s first full trailer, and in the same high-octane spirit as “Top Gun: Maverick,” which was also directed by Kosinski, “F1” promises polished, cinematic entertainment. Internal word of mouth has been very good on this one.
Industry sources recently confirmed that the budget for “F1” had surpassed $300M, largely due to shooting delays. Production began in July 2023 but faced setbacks during the SAG-AFTRA strike. Despite the challenges, Kosinski managed to keep cameras rolling for the racing sequences under a special agreement, and filming wrapped in December 2024—marking a lengthy 16-month shoot.
The film stars Brad Pitt as a retired Formula One driver who returns to the sport to mentor a rising star, played by Damson Idris. Kerry Condon and Tobias Menzies also feature in the cast. As Pitt’s character teams up with his protégé, he takes one last shot at racing glory.
Apple Studios is very much targeting the European market, where Formula One has a much stronger following than in the U.S. Interestingly, but the film will skip a Cannes debut and instead premiere in Monaco—a fitting choice for an F1-themed story.
Following his massive 2022 hit “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kosinski reunites with Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda for the film. Apple is producing with Warner Bros. handling distribution.
“F1” is set to hit theaters and IMAX screens on June 27, 2025, and Warner Bros. has committed to a theatrical window of at least 30 days.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.