Brad Pitt’s electric new racing film ‘F1’ sped to the front of the global box office over its debut weekend, raking in an impressive $88.4 million from international markets and reaching a global total of $144 million.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton, ‘F1’ stars Pitt as a retired racer who returns to the track to mentor a bold young newcomer, played by Damson Idris, in an effort to revive a struggling team. The film earned $55.6 million domestically, leading to the best box office weekend in Brad Pitt’s career.

This marks Apple’s first major box office success following less impactful theatrical efforts like ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ ‘Napoleon,’ and ‘Argylle.’ With a production budget nearing $250 million and a substantial marketing push, ‘F1’ still has a long way to go before turning a theatrical profit. However, it's on track to become Apple’s top-grossing release, likely surpassing ‘Napoleon’s’ $221 million global haul. Strong reviews, audience buzz, and premium formats like IMAX are expected to boost its performance further before the film lands on Apple TV+.

Elsewhere, Universal and Blumhouse’s sci-fi horror sequel ‘M3GAN 2.0’ struggled in its international debut, earning just $7 million across 80 territories. Mexico led the charge with $1.2 million, followed by the U.K. and Ireland at $700,000, and Brazil at $400,000. Combined with a $10.2 million domestic haul, the film’s global opening reached a modest $17 million.

Despite the original ‘M3GAN’ became a surprise hit in 2023 with $180 million globally, but the sequel appears to have missed the mark due to lukewarm reviews and less audience enthusiasm. Still, with a relatively small $25 million budget, ‘M3GAN 2.0’ poses minimal financial risk. Home release will determine if the ‘M3GAN’ franchise continues for a third installment.

Universal is seeing major returns from its live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ which added $32 million overseas during its third weekend. The film has now amassed $254 million internationally and $454 million worldwide, reaffirming the lasting popularity of the franchise. A sequel is already slated for 2027.

PG-rated films are continuing to perform well, with Disney’s live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ earning another $13.1 million from 52 markets, bringing its overseas total to $545 million. After six weekends in theaters, the film has grossed $946 million globally and is on the verge of crossing the $1 billion milestone. A sequel is already in development.

However, not all family-friendly titles are faring as well. Pixar’s original film ‘Elio’ took in just $11.4 million from 48 territories in its second weekend, following the lowest opening in the studio’s history. So far, it has earned $30 million internationally and $73 million worldwide. Despite favorable word-of-mouth, ‘Elio’ is far from recouping its $150 million production cost.

Tom Cruise’s final Mission film, ‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning,’ has surpassed $560 million worldwide, now only $10 million behind its predecessor ‘Dead Reckoning.’ The latest installment does not appear on-track to break even, with the production budget reaching $400 million and marketing accounting for $150 million. The film would need $800 million to reach the point of profit, with Paramount Pictures seeking a number closer to $1 billion.

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