The inaugural press day of Apple TV concluded in the picturesque setting of Santa Monica on Tuesday, with a stage appearance by Eddy Cue and a fascinating conversation with Formula 1's CEO, Stefano Domenicali, who flew in from Europe for the occasion. It was no surprise that they were given such a prominent platform, as their discussion came just after Joseph Kosinski's F1: The Movie secured an impressive four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and on the eve of Apple TV becoming the exclusive U.S. broadcast partner for F1 races.
The discussion was rich with content, and it was not surprising that one of the questions that emerged during the Q&A session was one that had been lingering since the film became a global sensation. (F1: The Movie is the highest-grossing sports movie of all time, Brad Pitt's highest-grossing movie ever, and Apple's biggest earner, with a total of over $600 million.)
"I have one last question they asked," Cue said, holding an iPad that received all the press questions submitted. "It's my favorite question of all, and it's a bit of a boomerang because both of us will answer: Is there going to be another Formula 1 movie given its success and how great the first one was?"
Domenicali answered first, teasing, "Stay tuned. We're going to tell you more in the future. Never say never. But we need to digest more the success of this movie because it was something unique. And if you want to think of a new one, it has to be really, very, very good. Therefore, if this will happen, it won't be next year. But maybe next year we'll be here [at the press day], and hopefully we have something more to announce [then]."
Cue followed up by expertly shifting the focus back to the F1 launch on Apple TV. "I have a great announcement for it. We're getting 24 F1 movies this year on Apple TV," he said, referring to the number of F1 races in the upcoming season. "I don't know the ending, and so it is the best unscripted drama that there could be in the world."
Neither denied that a sequel was a possibility, and it seemed even more likely given how much they praised each other as partners. "I remember very clearly in February 2021, when you, together with [Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer] came to my office to discuss this new idea. I was fascinated by it, of course, but also worried about creating the right ecosystem and making sure that the project was real and authentic," Domenicali continued. "Because for us, it was really crucial to make sure that we could present our world in a context of Hollywood and a movie and be real."
Domenicali said they accomplished that and it was "an incredible experience" for both parties. Looking ahead to the launch of F1 races on Apple TV, Cue promised viewers should expect a high-quality broadcast and new camera angles, not unlike what was seen in F1: The Movie.
"One of the first things you're going to notice is 4k and Dolby. You say, 'Well, 4k has been around,' but most 4k gets compressed a lot. If you've ever watched one of our Major League Baseball games, you're amazed at the quality and resolution you see when you're watching on TV. You're going to see that for the first time in Formula 1," Cue stated, adding that viewers will also have an option of tapping a button and seeing a four-quadrant split screen with options to view the race, specific drivers, data, and other features. "We've got all these new experiences. We're going to use iPhones in places where you've never been able to put a camera. This is just the beginning of an incredible partnership that we're working on together."
Expect to see all the Apple muscles working to pump up F1, including Apple News, Apple Music, Apple Maps, and more, Cue said. "We're going to bring everything that Apple has to bear onto the fans so that they get the best experience possible."
When asked to look into the future for F1, Domenicali didn't hesitate: "The future of F1 has to be bright because it's up to us and we need to think big because we moved the sport not only as it was in the past on the track but we're moving it in a different cultural dimension. … It's a matter of expanding our content." (Like a sequel, perhaps?)
