While these underrated movies didn’t do very well at the box office, Netflix gave them the opportunity to find their audience on streaming. While Netflix’s most-watched movies are largely made up of their original content, a big part of the streamer’s business comes from licensed movies that were originally released in theaters. For example, Now You See Me‘s recent Netflix success comes more than a decade after its box office success. However, there are also a number of Netflix hits that didn’t have much previous success.

While movies that bomb at the box office tend to carry around a negative reputation, many of these movies are actually underappreciated and simply did not find the audience they deserved when they were first released. Netflix gives these movies a second chance, with some perceived failures suddenly landing in the Netflix top 10. From charming rom-coms to intense thrillers to ambitious Westerns, these underrated movies have finally found their success on Netflix.

10

Land Of Bad (2024)

Directed By William Eubank

When Land of Bad was released in 2024, it seemed to be another reminder that actor Russell Crowe was sliding out of his previous A-list status with small-scale movies that are overlooked. The movie stars Liam Hemsworth as an inexperienced soldier who is trapped behind enemy lines following an ambush and relies on a drone pilot (Crowe) back in the United States to help guide him to safety.

The movie received a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, with many critics praising its intense and grounded action-thriller approach. The box office results were less impressive, earning only $7 million (via Box Office Mojo). However, Land of Bad‘s viewership numbers on Netflix surprised many people with a strong audience reaction to the movie, pushing it into the Top 3 movies on the platform. Though a small-scale war movie, Land of Bad delivered more thrills than the audience was expecting while also featuring a solid lead performance from Hemsworth.

9

Seraphim Falls (2006)

Directed By David Von Ancken

There are a number of great Westerns on Netflix, including Netflix Originals like The Power of the Dog and The Harder They Fall. Seraphim Falls is one of the lesser-known тιтles in the genre despite starring two big-name actors going head-to-head. Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan star as two enemies whose ᴅᴇᴀᴅly rivalry stems from a horrific encounter during the Civil War and can only be finished when one of them is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

Seraphim Falls barely made an impact at the box office, as it made a little over $1 million (via Box Office Mojo) and gained a mixed 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Netflix success of Seraphim Falls came much later as more people discovered this slow-burn, brutal revisionist Western. It makes for an extended chase movie, elevated by two committed performances from the lead actors.

8

Long SH๏τ (2019)

Directed By Jonathan Levine

One of the best rom-coms in recent years failed to make a splash at the box office, but eventually became a Netflix hit. Long SH๏τ stars Seth Rogen as a journalist who happens to reunite with his old babysitter (Charlize Theron) as she begins her journey to become the first female President of the United States. Along the way, they form an unexpected romance.

Long SH๏τ was expected to do better at the box office, with Rogen and Theron making for a star-studded duo. However, it underperformed, resulting in a disappointing $54 million on a $40 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). However, the movie is such a funny and charming throwback rom-com that it is not too surprising that it eventually found a bigger audience on Netflix, with Rogen and Theron’s chemistry really making it a rom-com gem.

7

Those Who Wish Me ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2021)

Directed By Taylor Sheridan

While Taylor Sheridan’s TV shows are really what cemented him as a big name in the business, he has also directed some movies. Following his excellent directorial debut in Wind River, Sheridan followed it up with the intense action-thriller Those Who Wish Me ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Angelina Jolie stars as a wildland firefighter posted at a firewatch in the Montana wilderness. She eventually finds herself the protector of a young boy being hunted by hitmen as the forest burns around them.

The movie was Jolie’s first starring role in several years, but that wasn’t enough to boost interest from the audience, as Those Who Wish Me ᴅᴇᴀᴅ earned only $19 million (via Box Office Mojo). However, Sheridan’s name means a lot in the streaming world, and combined with Jolie’s name, the movie eventually found its audience. It is a simple premise that makes for an exciting thriller, while also featuring a stellar cast, including Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen, and Jon Bernthal.

6

Upgrade (2018)

Directed By Leigh Whannell

Sometimes, some of the smaller movies get overlooked despite being decent hits for a low-budget тιтle. Such was the case with the terrific sci-fi thriller Upgrade, which stars Logan Marshall-Green as a man who uses an experimental implant that takes control of his paralyzed body as he sets out on a mission to find the people who murdered his wife.

Upgrade made $17 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), which is a respectable amount for such a small-scale movie. However, it also indicated that the movie wasn’t reaching a lot of people, which was disappointing considering it is a clever, violent, and entertaining sci-fi movie. Perhaps Upgrade‘s AI storyline led to its Netflix success, as the small movie gradually found its audience and has since been praised as a brilliant low-budget genre entry.

5

Dragged Across Concrete (2019)

Directed By S. Craig Zahler

Dragged Across Concrete was a controversial cop movie when it was released, but the controversy didn’t result in much attention at the box office. The movie stars Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn as two crooked cops who make plans to rob a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly gang of thieves. Despite a modest budget of $15 million, the movie bombed, making less than $1 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).

The movie’s brutality and cold tone may have thrown some people off initially, but then others became drawn to those very aspects of the movie as they became more familiar with director S. Craig Zahler’s work. Zahler’s Bone Tomahawk also gained attention on streaming and likely boosted interest in Dragged Across Concrete. It is certainly a dark and violent movie, but that tone makes for a powerful and gritty crime thriller.

4

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

Directed By Guy Ritchie

Guy Ritchie is one of the hardest-working directors in Hollywood, but his movies can vary a lot in terms of success. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is based on a television series from the 1960s and stars Henry Cavill as an American Spy who is forced to team up with a KGB agent in order to stop the sale of a nuclear weapon. While the series was a big hit in its time, it didn’t have the same draw in 2015.

While the movie earned over $100 million at the box office, its budget of $75 million meant that it was a disappointment (via Box Office Mojo). However, even shortly after its release, the movie was beginning to gain a reputation as an underrated gem. By the time it reached Netflix, it was primed to be a hit. Indeed, many accepted this movie as a showcase of Cavill in charming spy mode, as the chances of him being Bond seem unlikely.

3

Annihilation (2018)

Directed By Alex Garland

Alex Garland has become an acclaimed name in Hollywood, with recent movies like Civil War and Warfare. However, Garland followed his stunning directorial debut in Ex Machina with a much more divisive movie that some claim is an underappreciated sci-fi masterpiece. Annihilation stars Natalie Portman as a scientist who joins a team of other experts in traveling into a mysterious alien dome that has appeared on Earth.

On a budget of $40 million, Annihilation only earned back $43 million. While Ex Machina dealt with big ideas, Annihilation was a much more challenging movie to get into. However, the streaming world proved unexpectedly ideal for this as the audience sat with the complex world and the profound story that was being told. While still not a movie for everyone, Annihilation‘s Netflix success proved that challenging movies do have a place on streaming.

2

Pig (2021)

Directed By Michael Sarnoski

Nicolas Cage’s comeback was cemented with his performance in the unique thriller Pig. Cage stars as a celebrated chef who had long since left society behind and built a life in isolation with his beloved truffle pig. When the pig is taken, he is forced to confront his old life as he goes in search of his pet.

Despite being named as one of the best movies of the year by several critics, Pig didn’t get any award attention and only made $3 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). However, Pig is the kind of movie that needs more time for the word-of-mouth to build. Its strange John Wick-like story goes to some unexpected and moving places, with Cage’s outstanding performance leading the way. With the movie landing on Netflix, enough curiosity had built to finally give it the attention it deserved.

1

The Nice Guys (2016)

Directed By Shane Black

Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are two highly acclaimed actors who teamed with renowned action filmmaker Shane Black for the action-comedy The Nice Guys. Set in Los Angeles in the 1970s, The Nice Guys follows a private eye (Gosling) and an enforcer (Crowe) who become unlikely partners to investigate a missing person case, only to get wrapped up in a larger conspiracy.

Despite rave reviews and a strong marketing campaign, The Nice Guys was a notable box office disappointment, making $70 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). However, it is hard for a movie that is this funny and original to stay hidden for long. It gained more and more traction on Netflix, becoming a big hit and spurring demand for a sequel to The Nice Guys, which has yet to happen.