Brad Pitt's survival thriller Heart of the Beast is making its final theatrical stand. After six weeks in cinemas, the film has been pulled from 535 more locations, bringing its total theater count down to 1,160. The movie, which has shown remarkable staying power, is now preparing for its digital debut, where it hopes to capitalize on strong word-of-mouth.
The film opened to $20 million domestically and has held up impressively over the following weekends, thanks to glowing reviews and near-universal audience approval. With a 94% "Verified Hot" score on Rotten Tomatoes, it's poised to perform well when it hits home platforms this week. Historically, movies with such high audience scores tend to dominate on-demand charts, and this one is no exception.
A Director's Redemption Arc
This marks a notable comeback for director David Ayer, who previously teamed with Pitt on the WWII drama Fury—a film that still finds new fans on streaming services over a decade later. After a rough patch following Suicide Squad, Ayer rebounded with two Jason Statham actioners, The Beekeeper and A Working Man, both of which earned "Verified Hot" status. Now, with Heart of the Beast, he's proving he can deliver both critical and commercial success.
Box Office Numbers and What's Next
Globally, Heart of the Beast has grossed $181 million against a reported budget of $82 million. While it has surpassed the worldwide totals of Ayer's Statham films, it still trails Fury's $210 million haul. The question now is whether the digital release can push it past the $200 million mark. The film initially launched in 3,435 theaters and even expanded by about 50 screens in its second week, but has been gradually exiting theaters since.
Pitt, fresh off the massive success of F1, is already looking ahead to his next project. For fans who haven't caught Heart of the Beast on the big screen, the digital release is just around the corner. If you're a fan of survival thrillers, you might also want to check out our list of must-see survival classics.
As the film transitions to home viewing, it joins a crowded field of recent thrillers. For more on how other films have fared in similar situations, see our report on another movie that lost theaters but kept its momentum. And for those eager to watch Heart of the Beast from home, we've got the details on its digital release date.
Stay tuned for more updates as Heart of the Beast makes its final push toward the $200 million milestone.
