Apple TV closed its inaugural press day in Santa Monica on Tuesday by welcoming the company’s Eddy Cue to the Barker Hangar stage for a conversation with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who flew in last night from Europe for the event.
It’s no surprise two were given such a showcase during the big day, as their chat arrived on the heels of Joseph Kosinski’s F1: The Movie snagging an impressive four Academy Award nominations (including a best picture nod), and on the eve of Apple TV becoming the exclusive U.S. broadcast home for F1 races. There was a lot to discuss, and it was also not a shock that one of the questions that popped up during the Q&A was one that’s been hovering over the film since it became a global sensation. (F1: The Movie is the highest-grossing sports movie of all time, star Brad Pitt’s highest-grossing movie of all time and Apple’s biggest earner, too, with north of $600 million.)
“I got one last question that they asked,” Cue said, holding an iPad that fielded all press questions submitted their way. “It’s my favorite question of all, and it’s kind of a boomerang because both of us will answer: Is there going to be another Formula 1 movie given the success and how great the first movie was.”
Domenicali answered first. “Stay tuned,” he teased. “We’re going to tell you something more in the future. Never say never. But we need to digest more the success of this movie because it was something unique. And if you want to think of a new one, it has to be really, very, very good. Therefore, if this will happen, it will not be for next year. But maybe next year we’re going to be here [at the press day], and hopefully we have something more to announce [then].”
Cue answered second and expertly shifted focus back to the F1 launch on Apple TV. “I’ve got a great announcement for it. We’ve got 24 F1 movies this year on Apple TV,” he said, referencing the number of F1 races in the upcoming season. “I don’t know the ending, and so it is the best unscripted drama that there could be in the world.”
Neither denied that a sequel was a possibility, and it seemed even more likely with how much they praised one another as partners.
“I remember very clearly in February 2021, when you, together with [Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer] came to my office to discuss this new idea. I was fascinated by it, of course, but also worried about creating the right ecosystem and making sure that the project was real and authentic,” Domenicali continued. “Because for us, it was really crucial to make sure that we could present our world in a context of Hollywood and a movie and be real.”
Domenicali said they accomplished that and it was “an incredible experience” for both. Looking ahead to the launch of F1 races on Apple TV, Cue said viewers should expect a high-quality broadcast and new camera angles, not unlike what was seen in F1: The Movie.
Brad Pitt in F1.
Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films
“One of the first things that you’re going to notice is 4k and Dolby. You say, ‘Well, 4k has been in existence,’ but most 4k gets compressed a lot. If you’ve ever watched one of our Major League Baseball games, you’re amazed at the quality and resolution you see when you’re watching on TV. You’re going to see that for the first time in Formula 1,” Cue stated, adding that viewers will also have an option of tapping a button and seeing a four-quadrant split screen with options to view the race, specific drivers, data and other features. “We’ve got all these new experiences. We’re going to use iPhones in places that you’ve never been able to put a camera. This is just the beginning of an incredible partnership that we’re working on together.”
Expect to see all the Apple muscles working to pump up F1, including Apple News, Apple Music, Apple Maps and more, Cue said. “We’re going to bring everything that Apple has to bear onto the fans so that they get the best experience possible.”
Asked to peer into his crystal ball to see what the future holds for F1, Domenicali wasted no time: “The future of F1 has to be bright because it’s up to us and we need to think big because we moved the sport not only as it was in the past on the track but we’re moving the sport in a different cultural dimension. … It’s a matter of expanding our content.” (Like a sequel, perhaps?)
Brad Pitt, director Joseph Kosinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Damson Idris at a Formula 1 circuit.
Scott Garfield/Apple Studios
Pitt and Kosinski talk to F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, second from right.
Scott Garfield/Apple Studios
