Brad Pitt's 'F1' movie ranks among top racing films at US box office

Brad Pitt's F1 movie has achieved a unique feat in the United States, becoming a mainstream blockbuster rather than a niche racing drama. The film has grossed approximately $189.5 million in North America and $631.5 million globally, making it the highest-grossing racing film worldwide and the top live-action racing movie domestically.

Why it matters:

The film's success demonstrates the growing mainstream appeal of Formula 1 in the American market. By transcending the traditional motorsport film audience, F1 has set a new commercial benchmark for racing cinema and proven the viability of big-budget F1 projects, potentially paving the way for more Hollywood investments in the sport.

By the numbers:

• Domestic Ranking: F1 is the third-highest-grossing racing film in North America, behind only Pixar's Cars ($244.1M) and Cars 2 ($191.5M).
• Live-Action Leader: It comfortably outperforms other acclaimed live-action racing dramas like Ford v Ferrari ($117.6M) and Rush ($26.9M).
• Global Dominance: Worldwide, F1 overtook Cars 2 to become the top-earning racing film ever. It also became Brad Pitt's highest-grossing film career-wise.
• Comedy Competition: The film outranks popular comedies like Talladega Nights ($148.2M) and Days of Thunder ($82.7M) in domestic earnings.

The big picture:

The film's performance highlights a significant shift. While previous F1 films like Rush were critical successes with a more limited audience, F1 leveraged star power, high-octane filmmaking, and the sport's recent surge in U.S. popularity to achieve blockbuster status. Its success is partly attributed to the broader F1 boom driven by the Netflix Drive to Survive series and the addition of American races to the calendar.

What's next:

The financial triumph of F1, produced by Lewis Hamilton, will likely encourage studios to greenlight more motorsport-related projects. It solidifies F1's position as a premium global entertainment property and suggests that future films can target both dedicated fans and general audiences. The movie's performance, especially its strong international haul, confirms the sport's powerful global brand.