They may have done poorly at the box office, but they secured themselves in streaming!
In recent years, we have undergone a major change in the way we consume films and TV series – in large part, thanks to the arrival of streaming. However, several other factors impacted our relationship with the media, such as pandemicto the actor and screenwriter strikes in Hollywood and even a transformation in the public, see recent failures of large media empires, such as Disney and the Marvel.
However, the streaming remains powerful as a “second home” for several premieres that, originally, failed to gross good money in theaters. Sometimes, films are even so successful on the small screen that sequels are announced for the big screen – and here, we bring together 10 films that failed but were successful in the US streamings!
Snowman (2017)
Directed by Thomas Alfredson and starring Michael FassbenderO thriller Snowmanbased on the book of the same name by Jo Nesbø It was a critical and box office failure at the time of its release. With an estimated budget of 35 million dollarsthe film only grossed US$43 million and debuted with 7% approval in the Rotten Tomatoes.
Hated by fans of the original novel, the film ended up debuting on Netflix in April last year, and according to the Yahoo! Financesoon rose to the top of the most watched list on the platform streaminggenerating a large number of discussions and debates on social media – and also new criticisms about its quality.
Birds of Prey (2020)
Launched in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe and result in the closure of cinemas, Birds of prey It was a risky project for DC Comicswhich ended up being harmed by a marketing uninteresting and an active hate campaign on the networks. The film, which cost US$100 milliononly raised twice that amount.
However, when it was released in HBO Max, the film ended up spending several weeks on the platform’s most viewed list. For a time, the studio even considered giving spin-offs to other heroines of the plot, such as Black Canary – however, these plans were buried with the end of DCEU and the announcement of the new DCU in james gunn. In fact, speaking of him…
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Released about a year and a half after Birds of prey (and once again with the Harley Quinn in Margot Robbie), the acclaimed The Suicide Squad was a long-awaited project: it was the first work of james gunn to the DC Comicsdeveloped at the time the director had been fired from Marvel Studios and planned as a “reboot” from the 2016 film.
However, the film was released right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19and was part of a peculiar strategy of Warner Bros.to release films in cinemas and in streamings simultaneously. As a result, the film had a poor commercial performance, earning only US$168 millionbut it was a huge success in HBO Max and garnered acclaim from fans and critics.
Mortal Kombat (2021)
Another film that also suffered greatly from the impacts of the pandemic (and which also found success due to HBO Max) he was Mortal Kombat, the adaptation live-action from the popular fighting game franchise. Made by James Wanthe film spent years in Hollywood’s creative limbo, until it took shape and was released in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
As part of the initiative of Warnerthe film ended up receiving a simultaneous release in theaters and on HBO Max. However, if on the big screen it ended up being a commercial disappointment, grossing less than US$85 million, on the small screen it was watched in more than 3.8 million homes – in the USA alone. It was so successful that the Warner is already producing a sequel.
The Last Duel (2021)
Known for big hits like Alien: The Eighth Passenger, Gladiator It is Thelma and Louise, Ridley Scott has demonstrated a great appreciation for historical epics in the more recent years of his career. An example is the great The Last Duelstarring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck It is Jodie Comer.
The plot follows three points of view, and follows a lady who accuses another man of sexual abuse during the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, the woman’s husband, a knight, challenges the alleged attacker to a duel. The film was a huge commercial failure, earning US$30 million based on a budget of 100 million. However, it soon became one of the most watched films in the world. HBO Max and from Hulu.
Matrix Resurrections (2021)
Almost twenty years since the launch of Matrix Revolutionsthe franchise of Wachowski sisters returned to theaters (this time, under the command of Lana alone) for a new adventure. Entitled Matrix Resurrectionshere we have the return of Neo It is Trinity in a “new world”, where the two need to remember their past and bring down the system again.
Impacted by a mixed reception from critics and the public, the fourth feature in the franchise cost US$190 million to the coffers of Warnerand raised only US$159 million at the box office. However, it was also one of those affected by the policy of simultaneous release in theaters and on the internet. HBO Max – and it was in streaming that it established itself, shown in 2.8 million homes in the USA in its first five days in the catalogue.
Lightyear (2022)
2022 and 2023 were particularly dangerous years for Disney, which saw its own media empire declining in profits. A striking (and surprising) example of this is Lightyearthe “film within the film” of the universe of Toy Storywhich would have been the basis for the astronaut doll that we all know and love.
Common marketing heavy and a publicity that tried, at all costs, not to confuse the public even more with this premise, the film grossed only US$ 22 million more than its colossal budget of US$200 million. The bonanza only came when the film entered the Disney+where it became the most watched film in the catalog in 2022.
Strange World (2022)
If, on the one hand, many connect the failure of Lightyear to an incessant production of sequels and franchises by the Disney, others say the studio is having trouble “selling the fish” on its original projects. Considering the result of Strange worldit’s not difficult to understand why.
Released in theaters in 2022, the film had an estimated budget of 180 million dollarsand ended up raising only US$73.6 million when it is shown in cinemas. The project ended up gaining survival within the Disney+where it became the most watched content for weeks after its release.
Air: The Story Behind the Logo (2023)
Although the situation in cinemas has stabilized a little over the last two years, we still have the occasional bizarre case on our hands. Air: The Story Behind the Logo is one of those: a film about how Nike started the label Air Jordanbetting on an unknown player at the time – none other than Michael Jordan.
Directed, produced and starring Ben Affleckthe film was originally going to be released only by Prime Videountil the Amazon decided to invest in a major theatrical release – which resulted in commercial failure, grossing only US$90 million. However, upon arriving at Prime Videothe film was watched by more than a million people upon its release.
Mission: Impossible – Reckoning: Part One (2023)
In Hollywood, “failure” is relative. A film may have made good money and still be a failure because it did not meet the expectations of the studio and/or executives – a very recent case is Mission: Impossible – Reckoning: Part Onewhich raised US$560 million. The value is not bad by far, but the film cost almost 300 million, and expectations were higher.
The problem was in timing of its release, as the film arrived in theaters just a week before Barbie It is Oppenheimer, which became a phenomenon together. As a result, the long Tom Cruise ended up being left aside – but his success in streaming was enlightening, since it is, to date, the most watched Paramount+.
