Apple's 'F1' movie had a secret weapon at the box office — but it might not help next time

• Apple's "F1" movie with Brad Pitt captured the checkered flag in its opening weekend.
• The action film was boosted by a historically high revenue share from Imax screens.
• Although Apple will celebrate this win, its next films might not get the same Imax lift.

Apple's flashy "F1" movie took first place at the box office this weekend, and it had a secret weapon: Imax.

The much-hyped racing film starring Brad Pitt exceeded expectations with a $144 million global debut, including a $55.6 million showing in the US. That's well beyond the $115 million it was forecast to rake in, per The Hollywood Reporter.

"F1" was boosted by Imax, which said on Monday that its premium screens generated $28 million for the film, or 19% of its worldwide box-office total. That's the fourth-highest share of global sales ever in a debut, behind only "Dune," "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol," and "Oppenheimer," an Imax spokesperson told Business Insider.

US movie-goers were especially likely to pay up for the premium Imax experience. Twenty-three percent of the domestic box office for "F1" was from those who paid to see Pitt in Imax's expanded aspect ratio. That's a similar share to what "Sinners" and "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning" made from Imax earlier this year.

Imax tickets cost significantly more than the typical stub. The going rate for an Imax ticket in early 2025 was $19.51, according to data from research firm EntTelligence cited by The Hollywood Reporter, which also found that the average US movie ticket was $13.82.

Similarly, BI found it can cost a whopping $31 to see "F1" in Imax in New York City.

Apple is surely thrilled to see such a strong start for "F1" — its first major theatrical hit — no matter how it happened.

But it may be too soon to say the Silicon Valley titan has figured out Hollywood. Its strategy of big-budget films with A-list talent hasn't exactly been a resounding success at the box office, as big bets like "Argylle" and "Killers of the Flower Moon" underwhelmed.

If Apple needs a legendary Imax run for its theatrical movie strategy to make sense, it may be hard to build on.

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