The Apple Car May Have Flopped, Apple's Car Movie Should Not
Speaking of Ferrari and supercars and Apple, the first teaser trailer for F1 just dropped. Yes, Apple is producing a movie about Formula 1, starring Brad Pitt, directed by Joseph Kosinski, coming off of Top Gun: Maverick.1 Yes, it looks great.
I mean, how could it not? The teaser sets up a Moneyball meets Top Gun mixed with a bit of Day of Thunder for good measure.2 As Maverick proved, audiences are primed and ready for a resurgence of 1980s sports (or sports adjacent) action movies. And this one was apparently filmed at actual F1 races, with Pitt actually doing the driving, a la Cruise in Top Gun.
At first I thought the use of "We Will Rock You" was about two clicks too cliche. But actually, the outro guitar riff is perfect for the way they cut this trailer. And again, gives it the 80s vibes.3 The Moneyball opening is clearly on purpose. And also well played. Moneyball remains a highly underrated film and Pitt highly underrated in it.
Apple has made a lot of good content with Apple TV+, to the point where I've long thought they're the heir apparent to HBO. But the movies have yet to break through in a big, cinematic way. It's nearly impossible to judge a movie by its trailer, let alone its "teaser" trailer, but this just looks like it will be a hit. So much so that I may have to buy IMAX stock based off of the potential here alone.
I still just can't believe Netflix let this and the actual rights to the F1 get away given how intertwined the streamer is with F1 thanks to Drive to Survive. You had one job, Netflix. "Who said anything about safe?"
1 I'm still annoyed that Kosinski wasn't allowed to make his Tron: Legacy sequel. That movie also remains highly underrated.
2 Maybe a touch of Any Given Sunday?
3 Though yes, the song is from the late 70s -- still has 80s vibes.