Frank Grillo‘s 2016 horror movie about a dystopian USA has pushed onto streaming charts, almost nine years after it was originally released in theaters. Grillo is best known for his action movies, from the grounded events of movies like End of Watch, to his role in the cast of Creature Commandos as Rick Flag Sr., part of the wider DC Universe. The actor is also no stranger to superhero franchises beyond the DCU, having also portrayed Crossbones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. These roles, however, extend further than just his recognizable action portrayals.

Grillo’s multifaceted roles in action films and the superhero genre have also made their way to live-action TV, with him taking on the role of Bill Bevilaqua on the cast of Tulsa King season 2, starring opposite Sylvester Stallone. While the DCU appears to be his current franchise focus, with plans to appear in Superman and Peacemaker season 2, it’s not the only ongoing franchise he’s lent his talents to. There is a dystopian horror series that he’s also well-known for, and one that’s suddenly become more popular on streaming this week.

The Purge: Election Year Is Now A Streaming Success

The Film Suddenly Appeared On Streaming Charts

Now, The Purge: Election Year has pushed its way onto streaming charts, becoming a success nine years after it was originally released in theaters. The third movie in The Purge film series, Election Year follows Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), a presidential candidate who’s targeted during the annual Purge after vowing to end the practice upon election. She is defended by Grillo’s Frank Barnes, her head of security originally introduced in the previous film, The Purge: Anarchy. Despite a 55% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was a box office success, earning $118.6 million against a $10 million budget.

Now, Flixpatrol reports that The Purge: Election Year has become a streaming hit on Max, growing to Number 10 on the streamer’s Top 10 movies in the US for January 21, 2025. This is the first time the movie has managed to make the list, knocking the comedy special Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This? off the list. The movie comes in under The Front Room, Jason Bourne, Blue Velvet, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Juror #2, The Accountant, Keeping Up with the Joneses, Den of Thieves, and Max’s Number 1 movie as of writing, A Different Man.

What The Purge: Election Year’s Streaming Success Says About The Movie

Its Popularity Has Some Alarming Timing

The Purge: Election Year‘s middling reviews haven’t deterred it from becoming a streaming success, arriving with some alarming timing when considering current events. Its popularity comes just one day after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, reflecting some fearful sentiments surrounding his upcoming presidency. While the Grillo-led movie isn’t likely to happen in real life, its popularity emphasizes some mindsets in the US at this time, bolstering the film’s popularity during a political time of the year.

Source: FlixPatrol