Apple's senior services executive, Eddy Cue, signaled that a follow-on to the blockbuster Brad Pitt F1 movie is expected, and reiterated the company's intention to broaden its Formula One footprint internationally now that it holds exclusive U.S. broadcast rights.
Speaking to Reuters at the Miami Grand Prix, Cue said he both hoped and expected a sequel to the Apple Original Films production, which industry data cited by IMDb indicates cost about $200 million to produce and earned roughly $634 million at the box office.
Apple TV replaced Walt Disney’s ESPN this season as the exclusive U.S. television home for Formula One, providing live coverage of all 24 rounds on the calendar. Cue described the response to Apple’s broadcasts as very positive and framed the U.S. launch as a starting point for wider growth.
"The sport doesn’t get licensed on a global basis," Cue said, noting that Apple’s immediate focus is to make the U.S. rollout a strong success and then seek opportunities to expand into other territories and markets. He added that building momentum from the U.S. market is the most pragmatic path to broader international involvement.
Cue stressed Apple’s commitment to investing fully where it chooses to participate. "When we do something, we don’t do things halfway. The things that we do we go all in," he said, forecasting that Apple’s engagement will have a meaningful effect on motorsports promotion and viewership.
On company leadership, Cue said the appointment of John Ternus as Apple’s new CEO, replacing Tim Cook, should reinforce the company’s relationship with Formula One. Cue noted Ternus is a racing enthusiast who drives a Porsche and competes at an amateur level. He pointed out that Ternus would have attended the Miami race weekend but was instead at Laguna Seca, and predicted the new chief executive’s personal interest in racing will translate into strong internal support for Apple’s motorsports initiatives.
Beyond the on-track ambitions and filmmaking prospects, the company’s move into live sports broadcasting in the U.S. represents a strategic content investment tied to audience growth in a key market, according to Cue. He said the immediate priority is ensuring Apple TV’s coverage is a major success in the U.S., and that success would make further expansion more attainable.
Key points
- Apple expects a sequel to the Brad Pitt-led F1 film, following the original’s estimated $200 million production cost and $634 million box office take, per IMDb data.
- Apple TV has taken over from ESPN as the exclusive U.S. broadcaster for all 24 Formula One races this season and is using the U.S. market as a launchpad for broader international expansion.
- New Apple CEO John Ternus is an amateur racer and Porsche driver, a factor Cue says will further solidify Apple’s internal backing for motorsports initiatives.
Risks and uncertainties
- Apple’s international expansion in Formula One broadcasting may be constrained by the sport’s non-global licensing structure - this could limit how quickly Apple can enter additional markets.
- The company’s ability to grow viewership and commercial impact depends on making the U.S. rollout a substantial success; failure to do so would hamper expansion plans.
- Operational commitment and continued executive support will be required to sustain investment in motorsports; changes in strategy or leadership priorities could affect long-term involvement.
Additional note
The article referenced an investor-oriented promotional note about AAPL valuation tools, describing a Fair Value calculator that uses a mix of 17 valuation models to assess whether AAPL is undervalued. That content was included in the original report as a separate assessment tool suggestion.