Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ cruises to $55.6 million debut, ‘M3GAN 2.0’ stumbles with $10 million

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways

Update June 29, 2025: Brad Pitt delivered Apple its first bona fide box-office hit as F1: The Movie cruised into theaters with a $55.6 million opening weekend.

The action-packed drama proved an even bigger success internationally, where Warner Bros. handled distribution, earning $88.4 million overseas for a worldwide total of $144 million. F1 now stands as the biggest opening of Pitt's career, surpassing the $112 million debut of World War Z in 2013.

More from Gold Derby

James Bond: What the hiring of Denis Villeneuve tells us about 007's future

Best Comedy Directing Emmy predictions: 'Hacks,' 'The Studio,' 'The Bear' - oh my!

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R26ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R46ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe

Meanwhile, Blumhouse and Universal’s killer doll sequel M3GAN 2.0 stumbled with a disappointing $10 million opening — half of its $20 million projection — landing in fourth place at the domestic box office. The film also grossed $7 million international for a total of $17 million, far from the meme-tastic $45 million global opening of the 2023 original. However, with a reported budget of of just $25 million, the sequel still can dance its way to profitability.

Universal found redemption with the live-action How to Train Your Dragon, which soared past the $200 million mark domestically. Now in its third weekend, the DreamWorks Animation-produced smash earned an estimated $19.4 million for a North American total of $200 million and a global tally of $454.4 million, securing second place at the weekend box office.

Claiming third place was Disney/Pixar’s Elio, which saw a significant drop in its second weekend, falling approximately 50 percent to an estimated $10.7 million. The animated feature has brought its domestic total to $42.2 million over 10 days. Overseas, Elio added $11.4 million, lifting its total global gross to $72.3 million — still well below its reported $150 million production budget.

Rounding out the top five, Sony’s 28 Years Later grossed $9.7 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $50.3 million and pushing its worldwide earnings past the $100 million mark — a milestone its predecessor, 28 Days Later, never reached due to its indie stature.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2bekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4bekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe

Original story published June 27, 2025: Two major films are revving up for big debuts at the box office for the June 27-29 weekend, with Apple Original Films’ ambitious Formula One drama F1: The Movie and Universal’s campy horror sequel M3GAN 2.0 each eyeing strong openings.

F1 is tracking to debut above $30 million in the U.S., with some forecasts suggesting that the film, starring Brad Pitt as a retired Formula One driver mentoring a rookie (Damson Idris), could start as high as $40 million–$45 million domestically and even race toward $50 million–$60 million if momentum builds. Internationally, where Formula One has a massive fan base, Warner Bros., distributing the film for Apple, is hoping for a $75 million-plus haul across 77 markets. Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and carrying a hefty $200 million production budget, global success is key for F1 to justify Apple’s gamble on theatrical releases.

SEE ‘F1: The Movie’ reviews: Brad Pitt burns rubber with ‘macho panache’ in a high-octane thrill ride

Meanwhile, M3GAN 2.0 — the sequel to Blumhouse and Universal’s viral horror hit — looks poised for a softer but still solid $20 million debut in the crowded summer movie season. The original M3GAN, released in January 2023, shocked industry expectations by opening to $30 million and legging out to $95 million domestically ($180 million worldwide) on a mere $12 million budget, fueled by its viral TikTok dance routines. This time, the PG-13 killer doll movie returns with upgraded thrills and escapist stakes, as the titular AI is rebuilt to stop a humanoid robot aiming for world domination. With a modest $25 million budget, M3GAN 2.0 doesn’t need a blockbuster showing to turn a profit.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2hekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4hekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe

SEE 'M3GAN 2.0' reviews say the sequel is both too much and not enough

F1 is expected to dominate the domestic charts, propelled by Pitt’s star power, Kosinski’s storytelling expertise, and Formula One’s global popularity (Lewis Hamilton even serves as a producer). While F1 seems geared to attract older male audiences, M3GAN 2.0 is strongest with younger women and remains a social media sensation. Both films will face heavy competition as Universal’s Jurassic World: Rebirth roars into cinemas on July 2, along with holdover hits like Disney/Pixar’s Elio and Sony’s 28 Years Later.

Gold Derby readers predict that F1: The Movie will win the June 27-29 weekend with between $25 million and $50 million domestically. M3GAN 2.0is the runner-up selection of our oddsmakers.

NEW RELEASES

F1: The MovieDirector: Joseph KosinskiDistributor: Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.A Formula One driver comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver. The action-packed sports drama, starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Javier Bardem, has a running time of two hours, 35 minutes, and is rated PG-13. F1: The Movieis certified "fresh" with a 84 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "generally favorbale" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 68 percent.

M3GAN 2.0Director: Gerard JohnstoneDistributor: Universal PicturesTwo years after M3GAN's rampage, her creator, Gemma, resorts to resurrecting her infamous creation in order to take down Amelia, the military-grade weapon who was built by a defense contractor who stole M3GAN's underlying tech. The horror sci-fi thriller, starring Allison Williams, Amie Donald, and the voice of Jenna Davis, has a running time of two hours, and is rated PG-13. M3GAN 2.0is certified "rotten" with a 59 percent score per the aggregated critic reviews at Rotten Tomatoes; "mixed" reviews compiled by Metacritic resulted in an overall score of 54 percent.

BOX-OFFICE PREDICTIONS

After strong test audience reactions and early previews, F1 is poised to dominate the box office with a projected opening of over $40 million. M3GAN 2.0 is expected to scare up enough fans for a strong second-place debut, bringing in over $20 million. Meanwhile, Universal's How to Train Your Dragon remains steady in its third week, giving the killer doll some competition as it eyes $20 million as well. The live-action remake has already amassed an impressive $200 million domestically and $376 million worldwide.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2sekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4sekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe

Rounding out the top five, Disney/Pixar's Elio and Sony's 28 Years Later are set to continue their box office battle from last week. Though the horror sequel took the lead in their initial matchup, the animated family movie is projected to have more staying power, edging out 28 Years Later with both films aiming for $13 million this weekend.

Here are Gold Derby's predictions box-office rankings for the top five:

1. F1: The Movie2.M3GAN 2.03. How to Train Your Dragon4. Elio5. 28 Years Later

Do you agree or disagree with those rankings?Make your predictions right now— it's fun and easy!Join the box-office discussion in our forums.

Best of Gold Derby

Everything to know about 'The Batman 2': Returning cast, script finalized

Tom Cruise movies: 17 greatest films ranked worst to best

'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics (‘Heathers,’ ‘True Romance’) to TV hits (‘Mr. Robot,’ ‘Dexter: Original Sin’)

Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.