‘F1: The Movie’ Is Getting a Special Blu-ray Release Next Month
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As Apple’s summer blockbuster neared the end of its record-breaking box office run, F1: The Movie showed up for digital purchase and rental in late August, and now it’s set to take the next step for collectors of physical media.
As popular as streaming and premium video-on-demand (PVOD) services have become, they’re still poor replacements for a physical Blu-ray package that you can hold in your hand, and Apple’s latest flick is no exception. In fact, Apple seems to be quite aware of this, as it’s pulling out all the stops to make sure that the Blu-ray release of F1 is something special.
As is the norm for theatrical releases these days, F1 began with an extended run on the big screen, during which it grossed over $600 million — a number that handily exceeded every one of Apple’s prior historical releases combined. The only other two Apple feature films to exceed $100 million at the box office were Napoleon, a distant second to F1 at $221 million, and Killers of the Flower Moon at $159 million. The numbers get much bleaker from there.
To be fair, breaking Apple’s previous records is a pretty low bar. However, F1: The Movie also held its own against other summer hits such as A Minecraft Movie, Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, Superman, and Jurassic World: Rebirth. F1 had one of the ten largest opening weekends of 2025, and finished the season in the top ten for both domestic and global box office take for the summer lineup. It also broke the record for the highest weekend debut for a live-action motorsports film.
Although F1 followed the normal process of coming to PVOD services in August, this occurred slightly later than the industry average, which is about 45 days. Both Napoleon and Killers of the Flower Moon followed that schedule pretty closely, while Argylle only took 32 days — a number that was less surprising considering how badly it bombed at the box office.
However, F1: The Movie didn’t land on iTunes and Amazon Prime Video as a premium rental until August 22, 56 days after it debuted in theatres on June 27. That’s likely because Apple chose to give it one more run in IMAX theaters on August 8, which was the 42-day mark.
The Blu-ray Release
Now, F1: The Movie is entering the third phase of distribution, but it’s doing it with a nice twist for F1 racing and Brad Pitt fans. In addition to the standard Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD versions, Apple is also offering a Limited Edition Steelbook version that includes both physical formats plus a digital copy, along with a collectible metal case and a unique cover design featuring sepia-toned artwork.
While the Steelbook version will be a must-have for serious fans and collectors (which is the whole point of still buying physical media for many folks), the discs themselves contain the same special features as the individual Blu-ray and 4K versions. The only significant difference is that you get both discs in the single package.
All three packages include a code that can be used to download a digital copy, plus a generous assortment of special features (which is another reason to opt for physical media), including Inside the F1 The Movie Table Read, The Anatomy of a Crash, Getting Up to Speed, APXGP Innovations, Making It to Silverstone, Lewis Hamilton: Producer, APXGP Sets and Locations, Around the World, APXGP and F1: How It Was Filmed, and Sound of Speed.
The 4K UHD version, which is available on its own or as part of the Limited Edition Steelbook, appears to support both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and includes Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD audio.
All three versions are up for pre-order now on Amazon and other sites, and are expected to be released on October 7, 2025.
What About Apple TV+?
Some had hoped F1 would get a September debut on Apple TV+; however, this Blu-ray release date suggests that won’t happen. While Apple Studio produced the film, it partnered with a legacy studio as it always does — Warner Bros. in this case — to handle the theatrical and media distribution, and some exclusivity during each stage is undoubtedly part of that deal, as it would undercut Warner Bros. Blu-ray sales.
To be fair, a September debut never seemed likely anyway. As we noted in August, previous Apple Original Films have taken between 38 days (Argylle and Killers of the Flower Moon) and 52 days (Napoleon) between their PVOD and Apple TV+ debuts. There’s every reason to believe F1 would be on the longer end of that. Apple has yet to announce an Apple TV+ premiere date, and won’t likely do so until a week or two before it happens.
Since major new films and shows are usually released on Apple TV+ on Fridays, it could come as early as October 10, which would be 49 days after its PVOD debut, and would also provide enough time for collectors to pick up the Blu-ray before it hits streaming. However, we wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being pushed to the 17th or the 24th.
