F1 in pole position as rave reviews have it set to become hit of the summer

Extra.ie​

2 days ago

F1: The Movie starring Oscar nominee Kerry Condon and Brad Pitt is on track to become the biggest blockbuster of the summer in Ireland.
The film has been attracting rave reviews since it opened in cinemas here this week.
And although official audience figures will not be released until tomorrow, industry sources reported yesterday that the movie is expected to be one of the biggest-grossing films of the year, both domestically and globally. Brad Pitt in F1. Pic: Warner Bros/Everett/Shutterstock
One source told Extra.ie: 'It's a bit early to say, but based on Friday's numbers, which have been good, it's up there with our best performing movies over the past few months.
'It's up there with 28 Years Later, which performed very well and the horror film Final Destination. It's tracking to match up with our best movies and it's on par with superhero and horror movies.
'I don't think anyone will disagree that it will be the biggest hit of the summer.' F1. Pic: Warner Bros/Apple
Conor Kelly of Dublin's Savoy Cinema also said the movie is gearing up to be the big hit of the summer.
He told Extra.ie: 'People are just saying it's great and when they come out [of the cinema] they are saying they want to see it again.
'It's going very well and everyone has been raving about it. It's like the [Top Gun] Maverick movie, and even people who don't like Formula 1 – the sport – are saying they think it's well done.' Tom Cruise. Pic: Paramount Pictures
He added: 'It's bringing in people. I think it's going to be like Twisters last year; that was helped by word of mouth. It could be the hit of the summer.'
F1: The Movie opened in 710 cinemas in Ireland and the UK last Wednesday.
The American movie trade magazine Variety has forecast it will make €42m during its first weeks in the cinemas. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Top Gun: Maverick's Jerry Bruckheimer, F1 cost €170m to make. Kerry Condon. Pic: Amy Muir/REX/Shutterstock
Although the film is a work of fiction, Condon's character Kate – the only female technical director in Formula One – is largely based on the real-life Fermanagh woman and former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins.
Condon – whose character keeps her distinctive Thurles accent in the film – has admitted she knew nothing about motorsport before she landed the leading lady role.
Speaking about her pre-shoot preparation for the racing platform F1 Nation this week, Condon said: 'The first race I went to was in Barcelona, just to meet people and observe everybody. Everyone was so nice and generous, particularly Bernie Collins.'
'I learned a lot from Bernie because of her Irish background. I thought that was going to be perfect. I thought, 'yes, bingo, I'm going to base it kind of on Bernie's backstory.' [F1 TV's] Ruth Buscombe as well was very helpful.
'I just kind of found out a little bit about where they went to college and what they studied and the route that they took to get there,' Condon added. 'And then little things like the notepad that I have [in the movie] when I walk to the pit wall. I asked Bernie what she would have written on the front page of her notepad, just in case the camera caught a glimpse of my notepad or something.
'It was kind of radical because we shot a lot of the movie live with the real Grand Prix, so a lot of the cars flying by in the background were the real cars happening in real time. That's never been done before.'