Anya Taylor-Joy is having a monumental 2026. She kicked off the year with the billion-dollar animated hit The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and later this year she'll reprise her role as Alia Atreides in Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three. But one of her most enduring projects is a sci-fi thriller that quietly dropped on Apple TV+ over a year ago and refuses to fade away.
That film is The Gorge, a genre-bending blockbuster co-starring Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick) and Sigourney Weaver (Avatar). Released on Valentine's Day 2025 with minimal fanfare, the movie has become a streaming phenomenon. As of July 2026, it remains the #2 most-watched movie on Apple TV+ worldwide, trailing only the platform's biggest original films.
What Makes 'The Gorge' So Addictive?
Described as a perfect mash-up of John Wick and The Last of Us, The Gorge delivers pulse-pounding action sequences set against a haunting dystopian backdrop. But it's not all adrenaline—the film also weaves in a compelling love story that appeals to romance fans. The combination of visceral combat, eerie world-building, and emotional depth has kept viewers coming back for more.
Director Scott Derrickson, known for his work on Doctor Strange and The Black Phone, helmed the project from a script by Zach Dean. Derrickson's signature blend of horror and spectacle is on full display, making The Gorge a standout in Apple TV+'s growing sci-fi library. For fans of the genre, it's a must-watch alongside other platform originals like Apple TV+'s urgent sci-fi anthology 'Extrapolations'.
Taylor-Joy's Busy Year on Apple TV+
Taylor-Joy's relationship with Apple TV+ extends beyond The Gorge. She currently stars in the crime thriller Lucky, co-starring Timothy Olyphant, which premiered its first two episodes this week. New episodes drop every Wednesday, with the season finale set for August 19. The series has already drawn comparisons to other high-octane thrillers, and early buzz suggests it could be another hit for the streamer. For a deeper dive into the show's split personality, check out our review of Anya Taylor-Joy's 'Lucky' on Apple TV+: A Crime Thriller With a Split Personality.
With Dune: Part Three on the horizon and Lucky generating buzz, Taylor-Joy is proving she can dominate both the big screen and streaming. But for now, The Gorge remains a testament to the power of a well-crafted sci-fi blockbuster—one that audiences can't stop watching, even 17 months later.
Stream The Gorge now on Apple TV+, and stay tuned for more updates on Taylor-Joy's upcoming projects.
