Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Races to the Top of U.K., Ireland Box Office

Joseph Kosinski’s motorsport epic “F1,” starring Brad Pitt, sped into pole position at the U.K. and Ireland box office, debuting with £7 million ($9.7 million), according to Comscore. Released by Warner Bros., the high-octane drama launched across more than 300 locations.

Sony’s dystopian sequel “28 Years Later” held firm in second place in its sophomore frame, earning £$3.2 million for a robust cumulative gross of $13.3 million. Universal’s “How To Train Your Dragon” followed in third with $2.7 million over its third weekend, bringing its total to $21.8 million.

Disney’s “Elio” added $1 million in fourth place, advancing its 10-day tally to $2.8 million, while “Lilo & Stitch” held strong in its sixth weekend with $739,047, lifting its cumulative earnings to $48 million.

Universal’s horror sequel “M3GAN 2.0” opened in sixth with $681,317, while Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” took in $435,678 in its sixth weekend to reach a running total of $34.9 million.

Punjabi-language title “Sardaar Ji 3,” released by White Hill Studios, debuted in eighth place with $318,607. Black Bear’s adaptation of Raynor Winn’s memoir “The Salt Path” followed with $194,328, pushing its total to $10.1 million.

Rounding out the top 10 was Aamir Khan’s inspirational drama “Sitaare Zameen Par,” which added $152,319 in its second frame for a total of $615,622.

This week’s U.K. and Ireland theatrical calendar features a high-profile franchise installment alongside a range of arthouse fare, restorations, and international titles, as listed by the Film Distributors’ Association and Comscore.

Leading the lineup is Universal’s “Jurassic World: Rebirth”, opening Wednesday, July 2, in more than 300 locations. Directed by Gareth Edwards, this latest installment in the long-running dinosaur saga introduces a new cast led by Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, and Rupert Friend.

Friday, July 4, brings a varied slate: animation “Jungle Trouble”, from Miracle Comms, targets younger audiences, while Mubi bows Berlinale coming-of-age film “Hot Milk.” Studiocanal offers a newly restored 4K presentation of “Hearts of Darkness”, the legendary behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the tumultuous making of “Apocalypse Now”.

Also opening is David Cronenberg’s body horror “The Shrouds”, distributed by Vertigo Releasing and rated 15. It marks the Canadian director’s return to cinemas following “Crimes of the Future”. AA Films U.K. is releasing Hindi-language title “Metro In Dino.”

Finally, Anime Ltd presents the 4K re-release of Mamoru Hosoda’s acclaimed “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” on Sunday, July 6 – an offering likely to appeal to anime fans and cinephiles alike.