Chris Hemsworth & Tom Holland’s $94M Box Office Disappointment Becomes Netflix Global Hit 10 Years Later

Chris Hemsworth and Tom Holland’s $94 million box office disappointment has become a global Netflix hit 10 years later.

The two stars are best known for their roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thor and Peter Parker/Spider-Man, appearing in a total of two movies together – Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The Australian actor has appeared as the Asgardian superhero in nine total MCU movies, while the British actor has appeared in six.

However, Hemsworth and Holland have appeared in many movies outside the MCU. The former is known for his role in Netflix’s action franchise, Extraction, starring in the 2020 film, a 2023 sequel, with another sequel on the way.

Holland has also starred in the Netflix film, The Devil All the Time, and some other direct-to-streaming titles, such as Apple TV’s Cherry, directed by the Russo brothers. Hemsworth and Holland have also starred together outside the MCU, though the movie bombed at the box office.

In the Heart of the Sea has become a global Netflix hit 10 years after its release. Directed by Ron Howard, with a script written by Charles Leavitt (Blood Diamond) adapted from the non-fiction book by Nathaniel Philbrick, the 2015 film follows the sinking of the American whaling ship, Essex, in 1820 – an event that partially inspired Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick. In the Heart of the Sea’s cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, and Brendan Gleeson

Now, 10 years after its release, Hemsworth and Holland’s box-office disappointment has become a global Netflix hit. In the Heart of the Sea ranks 10th on Netflix’s Global Top 10 movies for this week with 3.7 million views, ranking below Carry-On, The Six Triple Eight, The Secret Life of Pets 2, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, Avicii – I’m Tim, Non-Stop, Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1, That Christmas, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. In the Heart of the Sea is in the Top 10 in only one country – the United States.

Though their MCU movies have seen much success, some of Hemsworth and Holland’s efforts outside the franchise have struggled mightily, and their 2015 film is one of the best examples of that. In the Heart of the Sea’s reviews were mixed, praising its thoughtful storytelling and striking visuals, even though they fall short of the depth and epic grandeur it so evidently aims for. It also bombed at the box office, grossing only $94.3 million against its $100 million budget.

In the Heart of the Sea Key Facts

Release Date

December 11, 2015

Runtime

2h 2m

Budget

$100 million

Box Office

$94.3 million

RT Score

42%

RT Audience Score

54%

A decade later, In the Heart of the Sea’s Netflix success offers a small measure of redemption for its box-office failure. While its resurgence as a streaming hit has brought some renewed attention, with it also comes a reminder of the film’s underwhelming theatrical run. In light of its recent Netflix success, In the Heart of the Sea’s legacy now likely lies somewhere between a cult favorite and a cautionary tale.