Sad to say, I told you so.
“F1” is a dud. The race car movie starring Brad Pitt is looking at a $40-$50 Mil weekend.
Last night’s previews brought in just $7 million. Add that to earlier screenings, and “F1” has $10 million in the bank.
That’s a crash and burn for a $200 million movie.
For Apple, it’s fine. It’s their biggest opening, and that’s the way they’re trumpeting such dismal box office.
But something went wrong here. “F1” should have been more in the $7 million opening bracket.
Reviews are good — a B+ — and the racing is supposedly off the charts.
The film’s pedigree includes “Top Gun Maverick” producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski.
Brad Pitt is a Movie Star.
But the movie seems to be about racing, not people. There’s no emotional pull. And that’s what’s holding it back.
What can save “F1”? International audiences. The worldwide release hasn’t happened yet. Those numbers should be high — higher than the US. We’ll wait and see.
Apple’s chief problem? A chunk of potential audience will wait for it on Apple TV. Streaming is Hollywood’s enemy no matter what anyone says.
