F1 races to $144 million globally while M3GAN 2.0 fails at the box office.

      Apple Original Films celebrated its first genuine box-office triumph this weekend with Joseph Kosinski's F1: The Movie, which secured the top spot with a global debut of $144 million. The film starring Brad Pitt accomplished what other high-profile releases with $200 million budgets, like Killers of the Flower Moon ($158M) and Napoleon ($221M), failed to do for the studio. It opened beyond expectations, earning $58 million domestically and $88 million internationally. Not adjusted for inflation, this opening also represents the largest debut for a Brad Pitt film, surpassing the $112 million earned by World War Z in 2013.

      The true challenge will arise in the coming weeks to determine if F1 can sustain its momentum without hitting a roadblock, especially with strong competition from Jurassic World Rebirth and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. You can read our review of F1: The Movie here.

      In contrast, Universal and Blumhouse won't have to contend with such concerns, as they may be fortunate if M3GAN 2.0 still remains relevant by then. The hyped sequel to the $226 million-grossing hit from 2023 had a disappointing domestic opening of just $10.2 million. The sequel, which had a $25 million budget, also underperformed internationally, bringing in $17.2 million for a total global start of $27.4 million. This is lower than M3GAN's $30.4 million domestic opening in January 2023. Read our review of M3GAN 2.0 here.

      It was also not an ideal weekend for horror sequels, as Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later crossed the $100 million threshold after only 10 days, but the film's critical acclaim and summer release timing led to a significant drop in its second weekend, earning just $9.7 million at the domestic box office. Sony will be hoping it remains in the charts long enough to show legs, similar to Alpha.

      As always, share what you watched at the arthouse cinema or multiplex this weekend by connecting with us on our social media @FlickeringMyth…