Brad Pitt’s F1 races past Superman at the global box office

Brad Pitt’s high-octane racing drama F1 has shifted gears into the fast lane of Hollywood’s box-office rankings, overtaking David Corenswet’s Superman to become one of the top five global grossers of 2025. As of this week, the film has collected a staggering USD 613 million worldwide, a figure that places it firmly ahead of the DC superhero outing and signals the growing power of sports dramas in the global market.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for Top Gun: Maverick, F1 offers an adrenaline-pumping narrative rooted in the high-stakes world of Formula One racing. Brad Pitt stars as a veteran driver mentoring a rising rookie, blending themes of competition, mentorship, and resilience with breathtaking action sequences shot on real race circuits. The authenticity of the racing scenes, combined with the sheer star wattage of Pitt, has proven irresistible to audiences across continents.

By surpassing Superman, F1 has broken a trend that many assumed was immovable: the box-office dominance of superhero films. Corenswet’s turn as the Man of Steel had opened to fanfare earlier this year, but despite strong numbers, its momentum slowed in later weeks. In contrast, F1 built steadily, fueled by strong reviews, repeat viewings, and universal appeal that transcended comic-book fandoms. The result is a testament to the potential of fresh genres in a marketplace often saturated with sequels and superhero spectacles.

International markets have played a key role in the film’s success. Europe, with its rich Formula One culture, delivered blockbuster figures, while markets like Japan and Brazil embraced the film enthusiastically. Even in India and Southeast Asia, where motorsports have smaller followings, the film’s emotional storytelling and Pitt’s global charisma helped draw crowds.

Critics have also praised F1 as more than just a sports film, highlighting its cinematic scale and human drama. The combination of practical racing footage, minimal CGI, and Kosinski’s immersive style has been lauded as a masterstroke that gives audiences a visceral, edge-of-the-seat experience.

For Brad Pitt, F1 is a career-defining success in his late 50s, proving that his star power remains undimmed. The film’s triumph not only secures its place among 2025’s biggest hits but also signals to studios that high-concept, non-franchise films—if executed with heart and spectacle—can still dominate the global box office.