Weeks into its home video run, the blockbuster film <em>F1</em> continues to perform exceptionally well in theaters. Although the movie has already surpassed $600 million at the box office and may not reach further global milestones, it is still climbing past previous hits on the all-time charts. The latest film to be outperformed by F1 is Mel Gibson‘s The Passion of the Christ — the highest-grossing faith-based movie ever. Released in 2004, this film was as controversial as it was commercially successful. In contrast, the most contentious aspect of F1 might be star Brad Pitt‘s hairstyle.

The movie has now made more than $623 million globally, having surpassed The Passion of the Christ‘s lifetime earnings. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, this sports drama is set in the high-stakes world of Formula One racing and faced significant challenges before its release. First, Formula One racing is not as popular domestically as it is internationally. Nevertheless, the film grossed nearly $200 million in U.S. theaters. Second, Apple has struggled to deliver a theatrical hit, with big-budget films like Martin Scorsese‘s Killers of the Flower Moon, Ridley Scott‘s Napoleon, and Matthew Vaughn‘s Argylle failing at the box office.

The success of F1 is likely to inspire not just Apple but the entire industry to create more big-screen experiences. The movie received critical acclaim, currently holding an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, its enduring popularity can be attributed to the near-unanimous praise from audiences, reflected in a remarkable 97% audience score on RT. In contrast, The Passion of the Christ was much more divisive and faced bans in several countries due to its graphic depiction of Christ’s final days.

The Long-Awaited Sequel to ‘The Passion of the Christ’ Is in the Works

Despite its controversies, it emerged as a major hit and has gained popularity over the years. Gibson is finally working on the long-rumored follow-up, The Resurrection of the Christ, which will be released in two parts in 2027. Star Jim Caviezel will reprise his role as Christ and will reportedly be digitally de-aged for this role; after all, over 20 years have passed since the first film. Both The Passion of the Christ and F1 are available for home viewing, so stay tuned to Collider for more updates.