After four Oscar nominations, executives discuss the future of the franchise; tech company vows to treat real races like cinema in 2026
The commercial success of F1: The Movie has reheated debates about the future of the work at Apple studios. With a global gross of more than US$ 600 million (about R$ 3,42 billion) and four Oscar nominations, the production starring Brad Pitt has become the central axis of a broader strategy between the top category of motorsport and the technology giant.
During a recent Apple TV event, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, and Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of services, admitted that a sequel to the feature is on the radar, driven by the public’s reception and the unprecedented integration between sport and streaming.
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Despite the optimism, the sequel has not yet been made official. The guideline is to maintain the technical rigor that guaranteed the prestige of the first feature. Domenicali struck a cautious tone, pointing out that any new project would need to overcome the quality barrier set by the original work.
“Stay tuned, we will tell you more news in the future. Never say never. But we need to better digest the success of this film, because it was something unique. If we want to think of a new one, it needs to be really very good to justify its existence,” said the F1 executive.
The success of the film serves as leverage for Apple’s definitive entry into sports broadcasting. Starting in 2026, Apple TV holds exclusive rights to show F1 races in strategic territories, such as the United States.
The promise is to apply the same technical excellence of cinema in live broadcasts. According to Eddy Cue, the streaming will use 4K standards and Dolby technology with low compression, aiming for an unprecedented visual fidelity on television. The technological package includes the use of iPhones to capture unusual angles in the pits and grids, as well as an interface that allows the viewer to split the screen to follow telemetry and onboard cameras simultaneously.
The integration also provides for the cross-use of platforms such as Apple News and Apple Music to contextualize the races. Cue closed the presentation by comparing the 2026 season to a film anthology, reinforcing the dramatic character of the real sport.
“I have a great announcement: we will have 24 F1 movies this year on Apple TV. I don’t know the ending of any of them, so it’s the best unscripted drama that could exist in the world,” Cue said, referring to the 24 rounds of the official calendar.
