After cleaning up at the Oscars and setting a new record, one hit comedy drama is finding renewed success on streaming. Though the Academy Awards perhaps don’t hold the same power they once did, they remain the most prestigious and respected awards show in the world of movies.
This year’s ceremony saw a number of acclaimed тιтles, actors, and filmmakers recognized. Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain (2024), for example, while Conclave (2024) won Best Adapted Screenplay.
Other notable тιтles from 2024 that showed up at the 2025 Oscars include the divisive Emilia Pérez, Nickel Boys, Wicked, and A Complete Unknown, among others. Even graphic body horror The Substance was recognized in select categories.
None of these тιтles, however, won Best Picture or set an Academy Award record, Adrien Brody’s long acceptance speech notwithstanding. The winner from this year’s ceremony was long considered a front-runner, quickly emerging as a buzzy тιтle following its release last October.
Anora Is Now A Top Performer On HBO Max
Anora ascends to become a streaming hit following its impressive Academy Awards performance. Directed by Sean Baker, the comedy drama stars Mikey Madison as Ani, a stripper from Brooklyn who becomes romantically entangled with a Russian oligarch’s son, much to the disappointment of his parents.
Anora reviews were glowing from critics and the film was a big performer at the Oscars earlier this year, earning six nominations and five wins. Baker set a record by being the first person to ever win four Oscars for the same movie.
Now, Anora is experiencing a resurgence in popularity as it is currently the seventh most popular movie on HBO Max worldwide, beating White Chicks (2004) and Central Intelligence (2016). It falls behind other movies like The Conjuring 2 (2016), Day of Reckoning (2025), and, in the top spot, The Conjuring (2013).
Anora is not streaming on HBO Max in the United States, but it is currently available to watch on Hulu.
What This Means For Anora
Anora ended up taking home the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. These wins accompany a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and an impressive 84% from audiences, indicating widespread acceptance among most viewers.
This critical response accompanies a box office gross of $57 million worldwide, a strong result given the film’s modest $6 million budget. The fact that Anora is now succeeding on streaming is a testament to the impact that the Oscars can still have on a movie’s long-term popularity.
For the Anora cast, the film’s streaming success is a positive sign. Madison, for example, showed up as a supporting character in movies like Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (2019) and Scream (2022), but Baker’s movie and its continued success means more prominent lead roles are likely in her future. Baker, too, seems poised to only grow in popularity.
