F1, Apple's First Blockbuster That No One Expected

After years of flops and money thrown away, Apple has finally found the magic formula to make a movie that people actually want to see. “ F1 ” is number one at the global box office, but the real question is: how much did this success cost?

Apple won the Oscar with “Coda” – the only film from a streaming platform to take home the award for Best Picture. A critical triumph that never translated into commercial success. Then came “ Argylle .” A disaster so spectacular that it even made Adam Sandler’s films on Netflix reevaluate. Monstrous budget, embarrassing box office, devastating reviews.

Apple's reaction? Cut everything. Budgets were cut, movie releases were canceled, directors were furious and denounced the company's lack of confidence. Tim Cook had basically thrown in the towel.

F1: Apple's revenge after the Argylle disaster

“ F1 ” changed everything. First place at the box office, 55.6 million dollars in the opening weekend alone in the United States, 144 million worldwide. The numbers that Apple had been dreaming of for years. But there is a secret… the director, Joseph Kosinski, the same one of “Top Gun: Maverick”. He took the winning formula of the film with Tom Cruise and transplanted it to the Formula 1 circuits. Brad Pitt instead of Cruise, cars instead of jets, but the recipe is the same: experienced veteran meets young talent, generational conflict, breathtaking spectacle. And above all, total authenticity.

Brad Pitt actually drives those race cars, the filming was done during real Formula 1 races, Lewis Hamilton produced the movie. No green screen, no cheap special effects.

The perfect timing that no one had foreseen

Apple caught the wave at the right time. Formula 1 in the United States exploded thanks to “Drive to Survive” on Netflix. Millions of Americans who didn’t even know what F1 was now follow every race as if they had always been fans. A new audience, hungry for content, that was waiting for a film like this. Apple didn’t create the trend, but they were smart enough to ride it.

Tim Cook has made no secret of his strategy: use every Apple resource to push the film. Camera technology, in-store distribution, aggressive promotions on iPhone. Some users have complained about invasive ads for the film even in the Wallet app . But Apple doesn't care. They've bet big on F1.

The high price of success

Here’s the problem: “ F1 ” cost over $200 million to make. Even with its current success, it will likely never recoup its costs in theaters alone. Some say it could end up being a very expensive advertisement for Apple TV+ original content. In other words, Apple spent a fortune to prove it can make cool movies. It’s been successful, but the price is very high.