In a twist that no one saw coming, Bruce Willis' 2022 crime thriller Gasoline Alley has quietly dethroned Tom Cruise's box office behemoth Top Gun: Maverick as the most-watched movie on Paramount+. The film, which earned a mere $32,000 worldwide during its limited theatrical run, is now dominating the streaming charts—proving that audiences are hungry for Willis' final on-screen moments.
Willis, a Hollywood icon known for classics like Die Hard, The Sixth Sense, and Pulp Fiction, retired from acting in March 2022 after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Gasoline Alley was one of his last roles, released amid a flurry of low-budget action films distributed by Saban Films. Directed by Edward John Drake and co-written by Drake and Tom Sierchio, the film stars Willis alongside Luke Wilson and Devon Sawa in a gritty tale of a Hollywood murder set in present-day Los Angeles.
Critics were less than kind to Gasoline Alley, giving it a dismal 22% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But audiences have embraced it, awarding it a 68% approval rating—a classic case of the divide between critics and viewers. Now, four years after its release, the film has found a second life on streaming, topping Paramount+'s charts and beating out Top Gun: Maverick, which had long held the top spot.
This streaming upset comes at an interesting time for the Top Gun franchise. The original Top Gun is set for a theatrical re-release on May 13, and a sequel to Top Gun: Maverick is officially in development, with Cruise returning as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. The 2022 film was a cinematic lifeline during the pandemic, grossing over $1.4 billion worldwide and reaffirming the power of the big-screen experience.
For fans of forgotten gems and underdog stories, Gasoline Alley's rise is a testament to the unpredictable nature of streaming. It also highlights the enduring appeal of Bruce Willis, even in his final, lower-budget projects. While the film may not be a critical darling, its success on Paramount+ shows that audiences are eager to revisit the work of a beloved star.
Both Gasoline Alley and Top Gun: Maverick are currently streaming on Paramount+. For more on the Top Gun franchise's streaming dominance and other streaming surprises, stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot.
