Guy Ritchie may be ruling the small screen with hits like The Gentlemen and MobLand, but his big-screen outings have struggled to find an audience in recent years. That is, until they hit streaming. His latest film, In the Grey, is the perfect example: after a dismal theatrical run, it has quietly become a streaming sensation on Starz.
Released earlier this year, In the Grey reunited Ritchie with frequent collaborators Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González, with Rosamund Pike adding a sinister edge in a supporting role. The action-thriller received mixed reviews from critics—sitting at a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes—but audiences at home have embraced it, giving it an 82% audience score. That disconnect between critics and viewers is becoming a pattern for Ritchie's recent films.
The movie's theatrical performance was nothing short of a disaster. Produced on a reported budget of $70 million, In the Grey grossed just $27 million worldwide, with a paltry $5.7 million coming from domestic theaters. That makes it Ritchie's lowest-grossing domestic release since 2005's Revolver. For context, his biggest hit remains the live-action Aladdin remake, which earned over $1 billion globally—a sequel to that film has been stuck in development limbo, with Ritchie unlikely to return.
Ritchie's recent theatrical track record has been rough. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, The Covenant, and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare all failed to cross the $25 million mark domestically. Even his mid-budget successes like The Gentlemen and Wrath of Man only managed $36 million and $27 million, respectively. It seems distributors are now using theatrical releases primarily as marketing for the eventual streaming debut, a strategy that has paid off for Amazon MGM with Prime Video titles.
That strategy is clearly working for In the Grey. According to FlixPatrol, the film has spent 50 days on the domestic Starz leaderboard, a remarkable feat for a movie that bombed in theaters. It's a testament to the star power of Cavill and Gyllenhaal, as well as Ritchie's knack for crafting stylish, rewatchable action.
For fans of the genre, In the Grey joins a growing list of thrillers that are finding new life on streaming. If you're in the mood for more edge-of-your-seat entertainment, check out our list of thrillers that grab you instantly. And if you're curious about Cavill's next big project, we've got the latest on his Warhammer 40K series.
As Ritchie continues to pivot toward television—with Young Sherlock on the horizon—his films are proving that the big screen isn't the only place to find an audience. In the Grey is now streaming on Starz, and it's worth a watch if you missed it in theaters.
