Apple TV has had a big year already, but next week brings its most high-profile premiere yet: F1 The Movie joins the streaming service. There’s also a key follow-up coming to Apple TV soon with the Formula 1 sport’s arrival. Here are the details.
F1 The Movie streams on Apple TV starting Friday, December 12
This year, Apple’s film division released its first ever summer blockbuster—and it was a huge hit.
Apple’s F1 movie outperformed most analysts’ expectations, grossing over $600 million at the worldwide box office.
And next week, it will be available for all Apple TV subscribers to watch for free.
F1 The Movie hits Apple TV on Friday, December 12 as the streamer’s biggest premiere of the year.
Following a string of theatrical disappointments in 2023-2024, Apple pivoted its film strategy to focus on straight-to-streaming releases. That move has proven very successful for the company, with hits like The Gorge, Wolfs, and this fall’s Highest 2 Lowest and The Lost Bus.
But Apple’s competitors have long seen how major theatrical hits can provide a huge boost when they eventually premiere on streaming.
All of the marketing spend and word of mouth over the past six months should propel F1 to easily become Apple TV’s best-performing movie yet.
And Apple hopes to capitalize with a key follow-up in early 2026.
Anyone who enjoys F1 The Movie has a decent chance of being interested in watching live Formula 1 races too—especially when they’re available on the same service.
Recently Apple struck a deal to become the exclusive US broadcast partner of the Formula 1 sport.
F1 races will kick off March 7, 2026 with the first Grand Prix. Additional coverage of practice sessions and more is expected to start even sooner.
The best part is, all Formula 1 content will be included free as part of a standard Apple TV subscription. There’s no extra add-on required.
So if F1 The Movie can be as big a hit on Apple TV as it was in theaters this summer, Apple will have a strong built-in audience for all of its F1 sports coverage.
Just as Netflix’s Drive to Survive helped F1 become much more popular in the US, perhaps Apple’s hit film, combined with convenient access to F1 coverage, will take the sport that much further.
Are you interested in watching F1 the movie or the sport on Apple TV? Let us know in the comments.
Apple TV is available for $12.99 per month and features hit TV shows and movies like Ted Lasso, Severance, Pluribus, and more. You can also get it through the Apple One bundle.
Best iPhone accessories
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
