Box Office Flop, 'The Death of Robin Hood' Instead Tops HBO Max Streaming
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- Film thriller R-rated 'The Death of Robin Hood' yang dibintangi Hugh Jackman berhasil menduduki peringkat pertama chart streaming film di AS setelah tayang di HBO Max pada 16 Oktober.
- Meskipun gagal di box office dengan pendapatan hanya sekitar $9,9 juta dari anggaran $20 juta, film ini menunjukkan daya tarik berbeda di platform digital.
- Kesuksesan streaming ini menyoroti pergeseran perilaku penonton dan menjadi pelajaran bagi industri tentang potensi monetisasi film di ranah digital.
The R-rated action thriller The Death of Robin Hood, starring Hugh Jackman, has officially taken the top spot on the US film streaming chart after becoming available on HBO Max on 16 October. The success contrasts with its poor performance in cinemas when it was released last June.
Produced by A24 and directed by Michael Sarnoski, the film offers a dark interpretation of the Robin Hood legend. Nevertheless, its theatrical revenue reached only $9.9 million, far below the reported $20 million production budget. Critics and audiences were divided, reflected in a Rotten Tomatoes score of 69% and a lower audience score.
On streaming platforms, however, audience enthusiasm has instead grown. Within days of its digital release, the 123-minute film immediately seized the top position, indicating that works with a dark tone and heavy story still have a market, especially among HBO Max subscribers.
This streaming success is not an isolated incident. Several films that failed in cinemas later found new audiences at home. The phenomenon shows that film success metrics are no longer singular; digital platforms provide a second life for works that may not match the tastes of the theatrical market.
For Hugh Jackman, this is a reminder that star appeal is not always linear. Although known as Wolverine, he has starred in various genres, from musicals to thrillers. The role of an aging and sin-laden Robin Hood gave him a different acting space, though it did not bear sweet fruit on the big screen.
"This film shows that streaming audiences are more open to dark and complex narratives," said an entertainment industry observer, adding that platforms like HBO Max are now becoming a proving ground for films that were less fortunate in cinemas.
In Indonesia, a similar phenomenon is also occurring. Local and global streaming services are increasingly becoming the favorite, especially amid limited cinema access in some regions. Films with strong stories that did not sell well on the big screen often find a new fan base on digital platforms, opening additional monetization opportunities for production houses.
Going forward, the success of The Death of Robin Hood on streaming may encourage A24 and other production houses to take hybrid release strategies more seriously. Meanwhile, Michael Sarnoski is preparing to work on the live-action adaptation of Death Stranding, scheduled to shoot in 2027. Will this pattern become a new standard in the global film industry? Time will tell, but one thing is certain: the film distribution landscape is changing, and audiences are the deciders.
