‘Hit Man’ Hits the Netflix Sweet Spot: An Original That Both Critics and Subscribers Love
Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man” is a certified hit for Netflix, and a rare one: It’s an original film (a $20 million acquisition, not an in-house production) that’s critically acclaimed as well as a popular success.
Meanwhile on PVOD, Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” dominated “Godzilla Minus One” (Toho) not only in theaters (more than three times the gross) but also in home interest.
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“Civil War” (A24) is #1 again at iTunes in its fourth week of availability (#2 at Fandango), a remarkably strong showing for a film with a strong but sub-$70 million domestic box office take.
“Hit Man” has led Netflix’s most-watched movie list for 10 days, the first film to do so since 2023 Netflix production “Leave the World Behind” starring Julia Roberts; it held the spot for 13 days last December. We await word on actual viewing minutes, which it recently touted for “Atlas” with Jennifer Lopez. Already, “Hit Man” has more days at #1, while “Atlas” disappeared from the list after two weeks.
This “Hit Man” sweet spot is one with which Netflix has little experience. Its awards-season titles rarely hit #1 and often chart for a handful of days. It’s also a testament to Glen Powell’s popularity, after his Sony rom-com was #1 for nine days in May.
“Godzilla Minus One” had a brief June run on both the streaming and VOD charts with 10 days on the Netflix top 10 and 12 on iTunes, but it’s now disappeared from all charts.
“Godzilla x Kong,” out now for five weeks and available to buy at $19.99 (previously, a 48-hour rental), is back at #1 on Fandango, while #5 at iTunes. Any concerns that the Japanese sleeper hit might harm WB’s far more expensive production were unwarranted; it might even have increased interest.
VOD charts were otherwise stable, with “Fall Guy” (Universal) still ranking high but consistently behind “Civil War.” “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Universal) saw a rental reduction to $5.99, prompting a top six or higher position on both charts.
Along with “Hit Man,” Netflix original “Under Paris” also has strong interest. The shark-in-the-Seine thriller is currently #3, a level it’s sustained (or higher) for most of its two-week run. Three other originals also placed. The animated “Ultraman: Rising” is #4, and documentaries “Remembering Gene Wilder” #5 and “Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors” at #8. Dreamworks “Home” in second place is the best of three animated studio films, including “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” It has been in the top 10 nearly every day for more than six months.
Top 10s
iTunes ranks films daily by number of transactions, while Fandango at Home lists by revenue. The listings below are for Monday, June 17.
The distributors listed are current rights owners. Prices for all titles are for lowest for either rental or download.
iTunes
1. Civil War (A24) – $19.99
2. The Fall Guy (Universal) – $19.99
3. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) – $14.99
4. Kung Fu Panda (Universal) – $5.99
5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (WB) – $14.99
6. Dune: Part Two (WB) – $5.99
7. Road House (Amazon MGM) – $4.99
8. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Lionsgate) – $19.99
9. In the Land of Saints and Sinners (Goldwyn) – $5.99
10. Arthur the King (Lionsgate) – $5.99
Fandango at Home
1. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (WB) – $19.99
2. Civil War (A24) – $19.99
3. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (Lionsgate) – $19.99
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) – $19.99
5. The Fall Guy (Universal) – $19.99
6. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) – $5.99
7. Unsung Hero (Lionsgate) – $14.99
8. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Lionsgate) – $19.99
9. Boy Kills World (Lionsgate) – $5.99
10. Tarot (Sony) – $9.99
Netflix Movies
These are the most-viewed, current rankings on Netflix’s domestic daily chart on Monday, June 17. Originals include both Netflix-produced and acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own worldwide weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed, and usually includes films for which they don’t have domestic rights.
1. Hit Man (Netflix original)
2. Home (2015 theatrical release)
3. Under Paris (French Netflix original)
4. Ultraman: Rising (Netflix animated original)
5. Remembering Gene Wilder (Netflix documentary original)
6. Wonder (2017 theatrical release)
7. Tell Them You Love Me (2024 VOD release)
8. Mysteries of the Terra Cotta Warriors (Netflix British documentary original)
9. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023 theatrical release)
10. Shrek (2001 theatrical release)
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