Adam Driver has a knack for resurrecting Hollywood's most stubborn passion projects. From Terry Gilliam's famously cursed The Man Who Killed Don Quixote to Michael Mann's long-awaited Ferrari and Francis Ford Coppola's self-funded Megalopolis, Driver has become the go-to star for films that spent decades in development hell. But the first in this remarkable streak—and arguably the most spiritually profound—is Martin Scorsese's Silence, which is now set to leave Paramount+ on May 1, 2026.
Released in 2016, Silence is a historical epic that Scorsese had been trying to make since 1989, when he first encountered Shūsaku Endō's 1966 novel of the same name. The film follows two 17th-century Jesuit priests (Driver and Andrew Garfield) who travel to Japan to find their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) and spread Christianity amid brutal persecution. It's a meditative, visually stunning exploration of faith, doubt, and cultural clash—a far cry from the director's usual gangster fare.
Despite earning widespread critical acclaim—it holds an 83% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus calling it "a thoughtful, emotionally resonant look at spirituality and human nature that stands among the director's finest works"—Silence was a box office disappointment. It grossed just $24 million worldwide against a reported $50 million budget. Yet for Scorsese, it was a labor of love that took nearly three decades to bring to the screen.
Driver's involvement was key. By the time Silence finally went into production, he had already made a name for himself on Girls and was about to become a global star as Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. His commitment to the project helped push it over the finish line, a pattern that would repeat with Don Quixote, Ferrari, and Megalopolis.
For fans of historical dramas or Scorsese's more contemplative work, Silence is a must-watch before it vanishes from Paramount+. If you're looking for other titles leaving the service in May 2026, check out Russell Crowe's forgotten twisty thriller 'Sleeping Dogs' and Matt Damon's wildest sci-fi flop 'Downsizing'.
Meanwhile, Paramount+ continues to offer a rich library of original and classic content. Taylor Sheridan's dark crime drama 'Mayor of Kingstown' is dominating the platform ahead of its final season, and Guy Ritchie's 'MobLand' has become a sleeper hit. But for those who appreciate cinema history, Silence is a rare gem that deserves a final viewing before it disappears.
So mark your calendars: May 1 is the last day to stream Adam Driver and Liam Neeson in Martin Scorsese's epic meditation on faith. After that, you'll have to wait for its next streaming home—or dust off the Blu-ray.
