Saudi heist-comedy Alzarfa: Escape from Hanhounia Hell has reportedly outperformed global blockbusters Jurassic World Rebirth and F1: The Movie at the Saudi box office, earning $2.4 million (SAR 9 million) in its first three days of release.
According to data from the Saudi Film Commission (via Deadline), Alzarfa was the most-streamed movie in Saudi Arabia this week, raking in 184,000 viewers. It surpassed the worldwide hit, F1 (Brad Pitt), which brought in 138,000 spectators and earned $2.4 million (SAR 8 million) during the same time frame in the region. Meanwhile, Jurassic World Rebirth stood third with just 47,800 admissions and $700,000 (SAR 2.6 million) in opening weekend earnings.
The action comedy features three friends who attempt to steal a priceless treasure, The Golden Rashrash, from a museum owned by an eccentric billionaire, Abdullatif Al-Hanhouni. Their failed attempt lands them in a high-security prison where they plot a breakout and a second heist, this time on Al-Hanhouni’s film set. The film-within-a-film genre is written by Ibrahim Alkhairallah and produced by Alshimaisi Films and Telfaz11, in partnership with Big Time Fund. The cast features top Saudi actors with a special cameo by the Prison Break star, Robert Knepper.
‘F1’ Trails Behind ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ But Becomes Apple’s Highest-Grossing Theatrical Release to Date
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures/Apple
F1 and Jurassic World Rebirth are currently going head-to-head at the global box office. Jurassic World Rebirth has pulled ahead on the charts, grossing $147.8 million domestically, while F1 holds second place with an impressive $109 million in domestic revenue.
Both movies have become international hits, dominating trending charts across regions. However, F1 has earned the spot of Apple’s highest-grossing theatrical release to date. The movie brought in $293 million globally within just 10 days of release. Despite significant production investments in recent years, Apple has struggled to achieve a breakout theatrical success until now. F1, therefore, has successfully outperformed every previous Apple production, surpassing Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, which earned $221 million worldwide on a $200 million budget in 2023.
So far, Apple has only released five theatrical films, two of which were box office bombs; so, the benchmark was already low. Killers of the Flower Moon generated $158 million globally, Fly Me To The Moon managed $42 million, and Argylle capped out $96 million despite featuring big names like Scarlett Johansson and Henry Cavill.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), F1 stars Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a retired Formula One driver who returns to the circuit to coach a rookie driver. The movie was released on June 27 and became the much-needed box office breakthrough for Apple.
F1 and Jurassic World Rebirth are running in theatres now and are expected to for the next couple of weeks.
 |
F1 |
|---|---|
| Cast | Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon |
| Release Date | June 27, 2025 (International), June 25, 2025 (UK) |
| Stream On | Apple TV+ (after theatrical release) |
| Directed by | Joseph Kosinski |
| Produced by | Jerry Bruckheimer, Lewis Hamilton, Brad Pitt, Plan B Entertainment |
| Based On | Original story set in the world of Formula 1 racing |
| Plot Summary | A retired F1 driver returns to mentor a rising rookie while competing for one last shot at glory |
| Musical Elements | Score by Hans Zimmer |
| Current Status | In post-production, set for theatrical release in June 2025 |
