Brad Pitt’s F1 film to hit Apple TV on Dec. 12

Apple ↘ 1.11% announced Monday that "F1: The Movie," the Brad Pitt-starring Formula 1 blockbuster that became the highest-grossing sports film of all time, will debut on its streaming platform December 12. The announcement coincided with Apple's quiet rebranding of Apple TV+ to simply "Apple TV," dropping the plus sign for what the company called a "vibrant new identity".9to5mac+5

Record-Breaking Success Leads to Streaming Debut

Since its theatrical release on June 27, "F1: The Movie" has shattered box office records, earning over $629 million globally and becoming Apple Original Films' most successful theatrical release. The Joseph Kosinski-directed film achieved multiple milestones: the highest-grossing sports film ever made, the year's highest-grossing original feature, and Brad Pitt's highest-grossing film to date.9to5mac+3

The film received exceptional audience reception with an "A" CinemaScore and a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer expressed enthusiasm about the streaming release, stating, "It's been thrilling to see audiences around the world embrace 'F1: The Movie' in theaters. Now, we're beyond excited to bring this exhilarating, cinematic ride to fans everywhere through Apple TV's unparalleled global reach".apple+2

Apple's Streaming Service Gets New Identity

The streaming announcement marked Apple's first major rebranding of its video service since launching Apple TV+ in November 2019. The name change creates potential confusion, as "Apple TV" now refers to the streaming service, the Apple TV hardware device, and the Apple TV app. Apple has not provided additional details about visual changes or how it plans to differentiate between its various "Apple TV" products.variety+2

The December 12 streaming date follows a traditional theatrical window of 168 days, demonstrating Apple's commitment to giving major films proper theatrical releases before moving to streaming. "F1: The Movie" will join Apple TV's growing library of original content, which has earned over 600 awards and 2,800 nominations since the service's launch.imdb+2