Brad Pitt races onto Chinese screens with F1 Movie

F1: The Movie, the upcoming Hollywood film starring Oscar-winning actor Brad Pitt, topped the country's presale box-office charts on its opening day, according to several major movie information platforms like Maoyan.

Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a former Formula 1 legend whose career was nearly ended by an accident in the 1990s. Thirty years later, the protagonist — now a nomadic racer-for-hire — is approached by a former teammate, who is the owner of a struggling Formula 1 team on the verge of collapse. Hayes is convinced to make a comeback and team up with a hotshot rookie in a quest for redemption.

The film held a premiere in downtown Beijing on Friday, featuring recreations of trademark elements such as track flags, starting lights, and the podium.

According to the distributors, Pitt believed the magic of the movie lies in its ability to appeal equally to longtime fans of the sport and those unfamiliar with Formula 1. He said the biggest challenge was striking that balance — making the film enlightening and accessible to newcomers without oversimplifying it for die-hard fans.

Since some scenes were filmed at high speed, the crew installed 15 camera positions on each car to choose from. During each run, with multiple cars racing, they could capture up to 12 unique angles simultaneously, with the cameras capable of panning and tilting rather than remaining fixed.