F1: The Movie may get a sequel following its $57 million opening, according to a new report. From the director and co-writer of Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kosinski and Ehren Kruger, the new movie stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, who, after a 30-year absence, returns to Formula One to mentor a rookie driver, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), on the fictional Apex Grand Prix team.
The cast also includes Kerry Condon as the team’s technical director, Javier Bardem as the team’s owner, Tobias Menzies as a board member, Kim Bodnia as the team principal, and Sarah Niles as Joshua Pearce’s mother.
Now, after its $57 million opening weekend, the new racing movie may be getting a sequel. Per Variety, work is quietly underway on a possible sequel to F1: The Movie, according to well-informed sources. However, there are no further details on any returning cast members, story, or overall direction of the sequel.
What This Means For F1: The Movie
Apple Has Its First Box Office Hit
F1: The Movie made $57 million domestically and $146.3 million worldwide during its opening weekend. While its $200–300 million production budget means it still has ground to cover before turning a profit, its strong opening is a promising start for an original blockbuster aimed at adults. In turn, the film is being regarded as Apple Studios’ first commercial success at the box office.
The success is especially significant for Apple, which has struggled to find commercial traction in the film world. Despite backing high-profile projects like Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, the company had yet to score a box office hit until F1: The Movie. The development of a sequel suggests that Apple could be looking to recapture its magic, including Pitt’s magnetism and Kosinski’s kinetic direction.
Our Take On The F1: The Movie Sequel
Will Sonny Hayes Race In The Baja 1000?
After winning the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, F1: The Movie‘s ending sees Sonny Hayes retiring from Formula One racing, returning to his nomadic lifestyle, and agreeing to compete in the Baja 1000 for very little money. During the end credits, footage plays showing Sonny driving an off-road vehicle in the desert.
Though there has been some uncertainty regarding whether F1: The Movie‘s post-credits scene was meant to set up a sequel, this new report suggests that Sonny Hayes could be returning to the screen to compete in the Baja 1000, one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world.
F1: The Movie is playing in theaters.
Source: Variety
