Anne Hathaway's latest psychological thriller, Verity, has experienced a dramatic shift in fortune. After a promising start in over 3,500 theaters, the film has been steadily losing screens, with its theater count plummeting by roughly 1,700 in just two weeks. Yet, in a twist befitting its genre, the movie has found a second life on streaming, where it's currently dominating the charts.
Based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, Verity was expected to mirror the success of another Hoover adaptation, It Ends with Us, which starred Blake Lively and grossed a massive $350 million worldwide. While Verity has performed well by most standards—earning around $165 million globally against a $40 million budget—it falls short of that high benchmark. The film opened to $30 million domestically and has since seen its theater count shrink from 3,510 to 1,830 as it enters its fifth week.
From Big Screen to Small Screen
The movie's rapid transition to premium video on demand (PVOD) has been well-timed. According to FlixPatrol, Verity is now the number-one movie nationwide on iTunes, having overtaken Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This streaming triumph comes despite mediocre reviews; the film holds a 31% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It seems audiences are more interested in watching Hathaway's chilling performance from the comfort of their homes.
This pattern of theatrical underperformance followed by streaming success is becoming increasingly common. Just recently, another thriller, Whalefall lost 1,000 theaters before finding its audience online. Similarly, Street Fighter dropped 750 theaters in its third week, only to later climb the streaming ranks. It appears that for many mid-budget films, the path to profitability now runs through digital platforms.
Hathaway's Busy Year
Verity marks Hathaway's second post-Odyssey release, following the sci-fi thriller The End of Oak Street, which grossed $120 million worldwide. While neither film has been a blockbuster in the traditional sense, both have performed solidly. Hathaway's star power remains undeniable, and her choices reflect a willingness to tackle diverse genres.
Co-starring Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, Verity has also outpaced other recent Hoover adaptations like Reminders of Him and Regretting You, each of which earned around $90 million globally. It's now roughly $10 million shy of surpassing The Girl on the Train's lifetime haul. For fans of psychological thrillers, Verity offers a tense, twisty ride that seems to have found its ideal audience on streaming.
As the film continues to climb the digital charts, it's clear that box office numbers don't tell the whole story. For those looking for more nail-biting content, check out our list of spine-chilling thrillers on Netflix or explore HBO's best thrillers. Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on Verity and other streaming hits.
