Netflix's strategy of betting on mid-budget genre films is paying off in a big way. While the streamer still has mega-budget projects like David Fincher's The Adventures of Cliff Booth and Greta Gerwig's Narnia adaptation on the horizon, it's the leaner, meaner movies that are driving massive viewership numbers. Earlier this year, The Rip starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck became a hit, and now another R-rated action thriller is following a similar trajectory—and it's already crossed a major milestone.
That film is Apex, a survival thriller starring Charlize Theron as a grieving adventurer hunted by a ruthless killer played by Taron Egerton in the unforgiving Australian outback. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, a veteran of the survival genre, the movie pits two powerhouse performers against each other in a tense, cat-and-mouse chase. Both leads have previous Netflix blockbuster experience: Egerton's Carry-On (co-starring Jason Bateman) is the third-most-watched Netflix original film ever with over 170 million views, while Theron headlined the hit The Old Guard and its sequel.
Crossing the 100 Million Views Threshold
Apex has now spent four weeks on Netflix's global top 10 chart, amassing 38 million views in its first week, 40 million in its second, 16 million in its third, and 10 million in its fourth. That adds up to more than 100 million views in under a month—a feat that puts it on the verge of entering Netflix's all-time top 10 English-language movies list. Currently, the tenth spot is held by Millie Bobby Brown's Damsel with 138 million views over three months, so Apex still has some ground to cover but is well within striking distance.
The film has earned mixed-to-positive reviews, holding a 66% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus notes: "Benefiting from astonishing Australian locations and Charlize Theron's raw athleticism while skimping on the finer details, Apex doesn't mark the zenith of survival thrillers but makes for a solid entry." For fans of the genre, it's a worthy addition to the survival canon, and its viewership numbers suggest audiences agree.
If you're looking for more underrated gems, check out our list of 8 Underrated War Thrillers That Deserve Your Attention for more edge-of-your-seat action.
What's Next for Apex?
With its current momentum, Apex could easily climb into the all-time top 10 in the coming weeks. The film's success also underscores Netflix's ability to draw massive audiences with star-driven, mid-budget thrillers—a formula that's proving more reliable than some of its pricier bets. For now, viewers can catch Apex streaming exclusively on Netflix, and we'll be watching to see if it can crack the elite list.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for updates on Apex's chart run and more streaming news. And if you're in the mood for a different kind of thriller, don't miss our feature on 5 Psychological Thrillers from the 2010s That Are True Masterpieces.
