Red One has achieved remarkable streaming success, defying its dismal box office performance. During its opening weekend, the movie led by Dwayne Johnson managed to earn only $32 million at the domestic box office, a disappointing start considering its reported $250 million budget. However, less than a month after its November 15 theatrical release, it became available on Prime Video and has since made a huge splash.
Amazon MGM Studios has announced that Red One has set a new record for the most-watched movie debut on Prime Video, amassing 50 million views in its first four days of streaming, even as it continues to play in theaters. This follows other streaming successes for Prime Video in 2024 with shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, The Boys season 4, and The Idea of You. Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, commented on the achievement, highlighting the importance of the combined theatrical and streaming strategy and expressing gratitude to the filmmaking team and cast.
What this means for Red One is that its legacy has been completely transformed. Despite its underwhelming box office showing, it has become a streaming sensation in a short period. The plot, which involves the kidnapping of Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) and his rescue by the North Pole’s security head, Callum Drift (Johnson), and bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), might not have been a typical blockbuster success story in theaters but has proven popular for home viewing, especially during the holiday season. Amazon MGM Studios is already branding it as a “perennial holiday favorite,” a status that streaming has enabled.
The streaming success while the movie is still making some progress at the box office is a double win for Amazon MGM Studios. Not all movies can achieve blockbuster status at the box office, and some fare better in the streaming realm or with a combined approach. Red One may not rank among the all-time great Christmas movies, but its streaming popularity is likely to endure throughout this holiday season and potentially beyond.
Red One’s streaming success should have been a direct-to-streaming release from the start. The Christmas movie could have avoided the negative box office chatter and potentially been an immediate streaming hit. Its early debut on Prime Video suggests that Amazon had more faith in its long-term streaming potential than its box office staying power, and this has been vindicated by its record-breaking streaming viewership.
Related content:
-
‘QUEER’ ENDING: WRITER EXPLAINS REFERENCES TO WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS’ LIFE
-
TARON EGERTON SETS CONDITION FOR ‘CARRY-ON 2’ SEQUEL ON NETFLIX