Brad Pitt’s F1 leads the pack as Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth fuel India’s 2025 Hollywood summer

The chequered flag was just raised at the Indian box office by Brad Pitt. This weekend, his high-octane racing drama F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick, topped the box office in India, surpassing the Hindi mythological horror Maa. Hollywood blockbusters are changing the game when it comes to going to the movies in India, and F1 is just one example of how this trend is playing out.

F1 outpaces Maa

Weekend box office for the Universal Pictures-Apple Original—which features Pitt's triumphant comeback to the big screen in a fully fledged commercial avatar—far outpaced those of Maa in India. Despite the Kajol starrer having a respectable first weekend with Rs. 20 crore, the attention and screens have been stolen by the exciting sights and worldwide appeal of F1, which minted Rs. 24 crore in four days.

Support from Bollywood insiders has been vociferous, which is adding to the buzz. On social media, filmmaker Karan Johar hailed F1 as "a masterclass in blockbuster entertainment," while Hansal Mehta lauded the film's polished production values and compelling racing scenes. 

ALSO READ: F1 box office collection day 3: Brad Pitt’s film outpaces Kajol's Maa and Vishnu Manchu's Kannappa 

Karan Johar’s Sarzameen skips theatres for OTT release

How ironic! Following initial rumours of a theatrical release this month, KJo's patriotic drama Sarzameen—featuring Kajol, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Ibrahim Ali Khan—is now set to premiere on JioHotstar on July 25.

July 25: Most crowded weekend

July still has a full slate of Indian theatrical releases, even with the Hollywood storm: Metro... In Dino (July 4), an urban musical by Anurag Basu, stars Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Neena Gupta, and many more. On the same day, Kaalidhar Laapata and The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case would be available on OTT. On July 11, you may see the releases of Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, Aap Jaisa Koi, Maalik, and Special Ops 2. Tanvi the Great, Saiyaara, and Nikita Roy on July 18, and Son of Sardaar 2 and Param Sundari on July 25. 

According to trade insiders, the most crowded weekend of July 25 is when this "screen war" occurs, which is making things difficult for middle-tier films.

F1 is just the beginning. Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are three more biggies set to release in July. These are all set to have massive releases in India, and they come at a time when there are many big Bollywood or South Indian films coming out, but it doesn't seem practical to have competition from outside heavyweights.

Bollywood seems to be sitting this one out, while viewers are flocking to Hollywood films. There is a lack of big releases in July due to studios being cautious in the face of unexpected box office trends. With the release of War 2 and Coolie touted to rake in numbers, most major Indian films are now set to premiere on the August 15 Independence Day weekend.

Up until then, international film franchises are changing direction, and the Indian theatre scene is following suit.