'F1' is Apple's biggest hit with $55M+ opening weekend

AppleInsider

After some controversial advertising, Apple's 'F1' will be the company's best-ever theatrical debut, after a $10M preview and an immersive trailer for the Apple Vision Pro.

Apple used custom cameras to capture the racing in its new film 'F1.' Image credit: Apple

The company's strong push to promote the new Brad Pitt movie F1 -- including a controversial ad within the Wallet app -- position the Apple Original Films theatrical release to have the company's best-ever opening weekend.

Apple's new film, which stars Brad Pitt as a race-car driver returning to the Formula One circuit after 30 years away, drew $10 million during its first US preview, according to industry tracker Deadline. It is projected to bring in more than $55 million in its first full weekend, playing at 3,661 theatres.

This would make it Apple's best theatrical opening ever, more than doubling the opening of Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon in 2023 with its $23.2M debut weekend. The trailer for the film also took advantage of iPhone haptics when viewed on the device, making the iPhone shake as race cars zoomed by in the trailer.

Two other big budget movies movies have debuted this week to provide F1 with some box-office competition. The first is Sony's post-apocalyptic horror sequel 28 Years Later, which is expected to do around $40M for its opening weekend, along with Disney's Elio, which is expected to bring in $31.4 million for the week.

F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, is said to be pulling strong interest from the 13-24 age demographic. This is considered unusual for a racing movie, which tends to skew to older viewers.

The film's projected opening matches its strong social media interest, with its trailer attracting some 845M viewers across TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X and Instagram. This is 62 percent higher than typical action-adventure opening weekend interest figures, according to Deadline.

Overall, F1 is projected to make $115M globally across all of its opening weekends in various countries. Apple is expected to get more involved in both the marketing and distribution of its original films going forward.



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charles1

I had to laugh at the "controversy" about the Wallet Ad. Gruber said your real wallet is sacrosanct and he never sees advertising in his wallet. He obviously never looked. I examined one credit card in my wallet, it displays four corporate logos advertising their companies. Some cards are one big advertisement. Even the minimalist titanium Apple Card has three logos on it. I have a receipt in my wallet, oh no it has advertising printed on the back! [facepalm]

jetpilot

Not only that, but this is far from the first advertisement in the Wallet app. I'm frequently getting ads in my Wallet app to try and get me to shop at stores (Nike for example) to earn additional Daily Cash rewards for a limited time if I use my Apple Card. I also have to laugh at Gruber and his podcasting partner on Dithering as they both claimed they were so incensed about the ad...but the ad was apparently so unobtrusive that Ben didn't even realize he was sent the ad days prior until he actively went looking for it during the podcast recording. Like most things on the internet in modern times, this was all just ridiculous performative outrage for clicks.

edited June 28

saarek

charles1 said:

I had to laugh at the "controversy" about the Wallet Ad. Gruber said your real wallet is sacrosanct and he never sees advertising in his wallet. He obviously never looked. I examined one credit card in my wallet, it displays four corporate logos advertising their companies. Some cards are one big advertisement. Even the minimalist titanium Apple Card has three logos on it. I have a receipt in my wallet, oh no it has advertising printed on the back! [facepalm]

Living in the U.K., I didn’t receive the ad. Still, I HATE adverts, can’t stand the things. On a premium device, such as my iPhone, I never, ever, want to see an advert. Especially from Apple itself.

Windows 11 is horrible because of ads, it’s a slow slippery slope to dropping ads everywhere.

anthogag

The movie looks good. I’ll see it on the big screen. 

neoncat

charles1 said:

I had to laugh at the "controversy" about the Wallet Ad. Gruber said your real wallet is sacrosanct and he never sees advertising in his wallet. He obviously never looked. I examined one credit card in my wallet, it displays four corporate logos advertising their companies. Some cards are one big advertisement. Even the minimalist titanium Apple Card has three logos on it. I have a receipt in my wallet, oh no it has advertising printed on the back! [facepalm]

don't hurt your back knocking over that strawman there. 

citpeks

charles1 said:

I had to laugh at the "controversy" about the Wallet Ad. Gruber said your real wallet is sacrosanct and he never sees advertising in his wallet. He obviously never looked. I examined one credit card in my wallet, it displays four corporate logos advertising their companies. Some cards are one big advertisement. Even the minimalist titanium Apple Card has three logos on it. I have a receipt in my wallet, oh no it has advertising printed on the back! [facepalm]

Yes, credit/debit cards typically have logos or wordmarks on them.

• Card branding, including the issuer (Apple, AT&T, Costco, Green/Gold/Platinum/Black, etc.)

• Card association (Visa, M/C, AMEX, etc.)

• Issuing Bank (Citibank, Chase, B of A, etc.)

• ATM networks on debit cards (Plus, Star, Co-op, etc.)

All pertain to the identity of the card, who will accept it, and how it can be used.  Somewhat essential information, no?  An average American has four credit cards.  Without the logos, how would they tell them apart?  You've already applied for, received the card, and are therefore already a customer.  What are they trying to sell you on?

That's branding, and while branding is part of the larger overall discipline of advertising, it is not explicitly advertising unrelated products, or services.

If your Chase credit card also had "Chase Home Loans.  Low Rates.  Apply Today." emblazoned on it, that would be advertising, of a different service from the same company, and different type of consumer loan.

Apple trying to hawk a movie from one of its other divisions inside your wallet, which many consider neutral ground, so to speak, is advertising.

I guess the company didn't learn from the U2 experience.

Attitudes like this are exactly why companies think they can get away with worming greater and greater numbers of true advertisements into users' lives.

blastdoor

Laugh it up, fuzzballs. Gruber is right. Apple's core values are eroding. 

jetpilot

citpeks said:

If your Chase credit card also had "Chase Home Loans.  Low Rates.  Apply Today." emblazoned on it, that would be advertising, of a different service from the same company, and different type of consumer loan.

Apple trying to hawk a movie from one of its other divisions inside your wallet, which many consider neutral ground, so to speak, is advertising.

I guess the company didn't learn from the U2 experience.

Attitudes like this are exactly why companies think they can get away with worming greater and greater numbers of true advertisements into users' lives.

Have you been into the Chase wallet app lately? It’s littered with ads that can’t be removed.

I just opened it up and just one page there’s an ad for Straight Talk Wireless, Wilson Shoes, Total Wireless, Orkin Pest Control, Whirlpool Appliances, Hello Fresh, Lululemon, and dozens of ads from other companies I’ve never heard of right on the main page. Granted they are below my transaction list rather than above it, but there are a total of 51 companies advertising in the Chase wallet app this morning.

The AMEX wallet app is the same. At least AMEX hides the ads behind an “offers” tab.

Meanwhile people are handwringing because the Apple Wallet app has ONE ad that can be dismissed away and never seen again. Give it a rest.

edited June 29

ssfe11

Took in 140m globally first 3 days

grouse675

A factual correction: Elio and 28 Years Later opened last weekend, not this, if we're talking about the US. F1 opened up along side M3GAN 2.0 (which is doing around $10m stateside) this weekend.

afarstar

anthogag said:

The movie looks good. I’ll see it on the big screen. 

It is fantastic - you won’t be disappointed. 

the_saltminer

charles1 said:

I had to laugh at the "controversy" about the Wallet Ad. Gruber said your real wallet is sacrosanct and he never sees advertising in his wallet. He obviously never looked. I examined one credit card in my wallet, it displays four corporate logos advertising their companies. Some cards are one big advertisement. Even the minimalist titanium Apple Card has three logos on it. I have a receipt in my wallet, oh no it has advertising printed on the back! [facepalm]

This is a great example of a strawman argument. If your point was to knock Gruber's argument you didn't do that

citpeks

jetpilot said:

Have you been into the Chase wallet app lately? It’s littered with ads that can’t be removed.

I just opened it up and just one page there’s an ad for Straight Talk Wireless, Wilson Shoes, Total Wireless, Orkin Pest Control, Whirlpool Appliances, Hello Fresh, Lululemon, and dozens of ads from other companies I’ve never heard of right on the main page. Granted they are below my transaction list rather than above it, but there are a total of 51 companies advertising in the Chase wallet app this morning.

The AMEX wallet app is the same. At least AMEX hides the ads behind an “offers” tab.

Meanwhile people are handwringing because the Apple Wallet app has ONE ad that can be dismissed away and never seen again. Give it a rest.

Couldn't tell ya.  I don't use captive apps because I know companies love them as advertising vehicles and data collection tools, as you describe.

Apple Wallet is a supposed to be a neutral ground, electronic version of your physical wallet, not a vehicle for companies to hawk their wares, Apple or not.

I hold held Apple to a higher standard, but I guess not everyone does.  Just because you've already capitulated doesn't make those haven't have opinions that are any less valid.

Same reason I have an Apple TV, and not a Roku, or a cable box, where ads are part of the UI.

Enjoy your corporate shilling.

edited June 29

williamlondon

citpeks said:

jetpilot said:

Have you been into the Chase wallet app lately? It’s littered with ads that can’t be removed.

I just opened it up and just one page there’s an ad for Straight Talk Wireless, Wilson Shoes, Total Wireless, Orkin Pest Control, Whirlpool Appliances, Hello Fresh, Lululemon, and dozens of ads from other companies I’ve never heard of right on the main page. Granted they are below my transaction list rather than above it, but there are a total of 51 companies advertising in the Chase wallet app this morning.

The AMEX wallet app is the same. At least AMEX hides the ads behind an “offers” tab.

Meanwhile people are handwringing because the Apple Wallet app has ONE ad that can be dismissed away and never seen again. Give it a rest.

Couldn't tell ya.  I don't use captive apps because I know companies love them as advertising vehicles and data collection tools, as you describe.

Apple Wallet is a supposed to be a neutral ground, electronic version of your physical wallet, not a vehicle for companies to hawk their wares, Apple or not.

I hold held Apple to a higher standard, but I guess not everyone does.  Just because you've already capitulated doesn't make those haven't have opinions that are any less valid.

Same reason I have an Apple TV, and not a Roku, or a cable box, where ads are part of the UI.

Enjoy your corporate shilling.

Oh good god, “corporate shilling” what a stupid thing to say, might as well accuse him of being “Soros funded.”

It’s called discovery, and only trolls and children are all hot and bothered by a little discount offer.