If you’re tuned in to Netflix, you might have seen Morgan Freeman’s heist thriller Now You See Me pop on your feed, and that’s because the streaming giant just added it and its sequel to its library. The franchise was a massive commercial hit, and over the years, it has become a cult-classic favorite despite the mixed reviews.
The film is now headlining Netflix’s Global Top 10 movies, even beating the action fantasy Wrath of the Titans. The war epic released in 2012 also made it to the list, but it’s nowhere near the top spot.
Now You See Me still performs better than Wrath of the Titans
While Netflix always keeps its library updated with fresh releases, it also makes sure we get some good old movies and shows, even the blast from the past. This June, Morgan Freeman’s Now You See Me is now part of its catalog.
Released in 2013, this heist mystery thriller was a massive hit. The story was not only entertaining but also baffling and bonkers at the same time. The hybrid set-up of magical illusion-crime heist made this exceptionally fun to watch. The moment it debuted on Netflix, it immediately climbed to the global charts.
As per Tudum by Netflix, Now You See Me is in the second spot with 4.9 million views, while its sequel is in the eighth spot with 2.9 million views.
Another major title that made it to the list was Ralph Fiennes’ Wrath of the Titans, the sequel to the iconic Clash of the Titans. It garnered the sixth spot with 3.2 million views. The Greek mythology movie swept the streaming service with its epic action, but not as strong as the heist thriller.
In terms of box office, Now You See Me performed better after grossing over $351 million against a small budget of $75 million, making it a profit-churning machine. On the other hand, Wrath of the Titans underperformed with $301 million worldwide gross against a hefty budget of $150 million. Movies should at least earn three times their cost of production to be considered a success.
The latter came out just a year before the heist movie, so we could speculate that fans were perhaps intrigued by the novelty and fresh concept of Now You See Me. The main complaint about Wrath of the Titans was that it focused more on the spectacle than the storytelling and character development.
It’s a shame because a movie with a budget as colossal as this should have invested in a good script.
Here’s exciting news for both franchises
Wrath of the Titans is facing a revival after it soared to Netflix’s top 10 movies. Despite its unfortunate theatrical run, new viewers will get a chance to experience this epic adventure.
Meanwhile, the heist thriller franchise is getting a third movie entitled Now You See Me: Now You Don’t which comes out this November and will see the return of the original cast members.
Wrath of the Titans and Now You See Me are currently available to watch on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
