Netflix has found its latest action hit in an unexpected place: a 2024 Peacock release that's now enjoying a massive second life on the streaming giant. John Woo's The Killer, a 126-minute remake of his own 1989 Hong Kong classic, is climbing international charts and proving that a stylish assassin story can still captivate audiences worldwide.
The film's resurgence has been particularly strong across Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. According to FlixPatrol, The Killer hit #1 in Finland and Romania, and remains in the top five in countries like Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Jamaica, Norway, Panama, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Uruguay, and Venezuela. As of July 1, it's still sitting at #2 in Romania—a clear sign of its global streaming rebound.
A Fresh Take on a Classic
Instead of Chow Yun-fat's iconic hitman Ah Jong, the new version follows Nathalie Emmanuel as Zee, a feared Paris contract killer known as the Queen of the Dead. After she refuses to kill a young blind woman, Zee becomes the target of her criminal employers while Omar Sy plays the detective closing in on her. The cast also includes Sam Worthington, Diana Silvers, Saïd Taghmaoui, Éric Cantona, and Tchéky Karyo—giving Netflix exactly the kind of recognizable, easy-to-sample action thriller that can outperform its original reception.
Despite a 59% Rotten Tomatoes critics score, the film's appeal is undeniable: gunplay, betrayal, a hunted assassin, a moral turn, and a legendary director returning to one of the stories that defined his career. It's a formula that's working for global audiences, even if critics were divided.
Not to Be Confused with Fincher's 'The Killer'
John Woo's The Killer shares its title with David Fincher's 2023 Netflix thriller starring Michael Fassbender, but the two are completely different stories. Fincher's film, adapted from the French graphic novel Le Tueur, follows a cold, methodical assassin whose botched job turns into a revenge mission. Woo's version is a remake of his own 1989 Hong Kong classic, originally led by Chow Yun-fat. So there are now two screen versions of Woo's story: the original and the 2024 remake.
For fans of classic action, this remake has sparked conversations about which films should be left untouched. Our list of Classic Action Movies That Should Never Get a Remake explores the debate further.
Streaming Success in July 2026
The Killer is just one of several titles driving Netflix's July 2026 lineup. With Enola Holmes 3, Little House on the Prairie, and more arriving this month, the platform continues to dominate the streaming landscape. Meanwhile, other shows like Heroes Returns to Netflix are also drawing viewers back to the service.
John Woo's The Killer is currently trending on Netflix. Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on this and other streaming hits.
