Joseph Kosinski, the "F1" director, said that audiences had to decide if the movie would get a sequel.

But the movie cost at least $350 million to make and market, analysts said, so it will need to attract substantial crowds in the weeks ahead to make money.

“F1 The Movie” debuted with $55.6 million in North American theaters and $144 million globally over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing the tech company easily its biggest opening yet.