Joseph Kosinski’s “F1” is off to the races. The Apple Original release, distributed by Warner Bros, roared into Thursday night previews with a very impressive $10M haul, setting it firmly on the track toward a potential $60M opening weekend.
That number would easily make it the biggest debut for an Apple-backed theatrical release, and more than enough to silence early skepticism about whether general audiences still care about racing movies, particularly one based on the more Euro-centric F1 circuit.
Backed by Apple’s deep pockets and featuring “Top Gun: Maverick” helmer Kosinski reuniting with Brad Pitt, “F1” was never a cheap bet. Apple reportedly dropped over $250-$300M on the production, thanks to globe-trotting race sequences, and strike delays. Still, Thursday night’s turnout is a strong indicator that this could be a rare W for both Apple and original IP filmmaking — and maybe, just maybe, a late summer breakout.
The film, which has Pitt playing a retired driver brought back to mentor a younger phenom (Damson Idris), clearly has something audiences are hungry for: real cars, real stunts, and no superhero fatigue in sight. For Apple, which has spent the last three years throwing money at awards bait (“Napoleon,” “Killers of the Flower Moon”), “F1” might finally be their first commercial victory.
Meanwhile, not every studio has reason to celebrate this weekend. Blumhouse and Universal’s “M3GAN 2.0,” a sequel to the 2023 surprise horror hit, came in with a shockingly low $1.5M in Thursday previews — a precipitous drop from the original’s $2.75M haul just 18 months ago. Even more concerning: projections for the weekend have now been revised downward, with some industry trackers suggesting it may not even hit $15M domestic by Sunday.
This represents a stark reversal of fortune for what was once seen as one of Universal’s most promising horror franchises. The first “M3GAN” rode a viral marketing campaign and critical goodwill to a robust $30M opening and $180M worldwide gross. But lightning hasn’t struck twice. M3GAN 2.0 seems to be suffering from the dreaded sequel syndrome — a rushed release, lukewarm early reviews, and a social media buzz that’s noticeably muted compared to the original’s TikTok-fueled mania.
In short: while “F1” is blazing past the competition in pole position, “M3GAN 2.0” may already be headed for the junkyard.
While James L. Brooks teased last year that "we'll soon be seeing" Jack Nicholson, 89, act again, and that he was "reading scripts," that idea has now been shut down by his close friend Michael Douglas, 82.