It’s “Back to the Future” week at Netflix, literally.
Not only is Robert Zemeckis’ 1985 classic time travel comedy the #6 film at the streamer, but one of the decade’s most iconic characters is back with the just-released “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” #1 there.
Picking up theatrical franchises isn’t unprecedented for the streamer. Netflix produced the second “Knives Out” film and is currently in production on the third. Previously, the company took shots at the “Cloverfield” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” series — to little impact. Netflix has continued some Tyler Perry series. But “Beverly Hills Cop” is a whole other level in terms of previous iconic success.
The 1984 original was one of the biggest comedy hits ever released, with an adjusted domestic gross of over $600 million. A fourth film has been in the works for years, with Murphy, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and Netflix joining forces to license “Beverly Hills Cop” from Paramount (as well as a possible sequel).
The immediate success is no surprise. As always with Netflix, the success of an initial #1 without traffic data and, more importantly, seeing the length of interest is still to be determined. But the success of “Axel F” suggests continued franchise potential ahead, and a new content source.
Netflix, however, is at a disadvantage compared to Warner Bros. (let’s say “Lethal Weapon”) or Universal (“Back to the Future”) if the streamer wanted to pursue a similar path. Apart from the viability (aging actors, duplicating creative elements adequately), any deal has to including paying for rights.
The studios, with their streamers, have exploited their IPs more for episodic series (than feature film sequels. “Axel F” has generated a better critical reaction than any of the previous sequels, and it shows that Eddie Murphy still has star appeal 42 years after his film debut in “48 Hrs.”
“Axel F” is the latest Netflix original to lead the top 10 in recent weeks. Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man,” with Glen Powell, had 10 days at #1, and over three weeks on the list (above average). “Trigger Warning” with Jessica Alba followed, then “A Family Affair” with Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron (still holding strong at #2) leading into “Axel F.” All this when theatrical business is dominated by family animated titles (more than two-thirds of the business this past weekend), so Netflix’s counter-programming instincts with top titles seems to be working.
Notably, “Hit Man,” “A Family Affair,” and “Axel F” would be more plausible theatrical releases than most Netflix originals up until recently. But with challenges for original projects in theaters, and the disappointing returns for a number of sequels, going directly to streaming is becoming an increasingly viable option.
With no major new releases, the VOD charts were about as static as they’ve ever been. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (Warner Bros.) — speaking of under-performing sequels — repeats at #1 both on iTunes and Fandango. This comes again with a premium 48-hour rental price of $24.99, so with this response, some of the loss for the film is being made up.
“IF” (Paramount), heading for in-house Paramount+ streaming Tuesday, is #2 at iTunes, while “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” (Lionsgate), enjoying bigger at-home success than in theaters, is second at Fandango.
Top 10s
iTunes ranks films daily by number of transactions, while Fandango at Home lists by revenue. The listings below are for Monday, July 1 (iTunes) and the week of July 1-7 (Fandango).
The distributors listed are current rights owners. Prices for all titles are for lowest for either rental or download.
iTunes
1. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (WB) – $24.99
2. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Lionsgate) – $9.99
3. IF (Paramount) – $19.99
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) – $5.99
5. The Fall Guy (Universal) – $19.99
6. Boneyard (Lionsgate) – $6.99
7. Civil War (A24) – $19.99
8. Challengers (Amazon MGM) – $5.99
9. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (WB) – $3.99
10. The Watchers (WB) – $19.99
Fandango at Home
1. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (WB) – $24.99
2. IF (Par) – $19.99
3. The Watchers (WB) – $19.99
4. Civil War (A24) – $19.99
5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) – $5.99
6. The Fall Guy (Universal) – $19.99
7. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (WB) – $3.99
8. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Lionsgate) – $9.99
9. Boneyard (Lionsgate) – $6.99
10. The Boy and the Heron (GKids) – $14.99
Netflix Movies
These are the most-viewed, current rankings on Netflix’s domestic daily chart on Monday, July 8. Originals include both Netflix-produced and acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own worldwide weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed, and usually includes films for which it doesn’t have domestic rights.
1. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix original)
2. A Family Affair (Netflix original)
3. Warcraft (2016 theatrical release
4. Minions (2015 theatrical release)
5. The Blind Side (2009 theatrical release)
6. Back to the Future (1985 theatrical release)
7. The Little Rascals (1994 theatrical release)
8. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023 theatrical release)
9. Identity Thief (2013 theatrical release)
10. Trigger Warning (Netflix original)