Best Netflix Movies That Should Have Been in Theaters
Hit Man is the latest in a string of films that have gone straight to Netflix after a teeny-tiny theatrical run that is far too brief at best. The Richard Linklater film is designed for a room full of popcorn-popping fans, and it is a shame we did not get to see all those outfits on a 50-foot widescreen. Certainly, the astronomical streaming numbers show there was an audience for this one. And, as entertaining as this Glen Powell film is to watch on Netflix, we cannot help but think it would have been much more entertaining with a larger audience. This was a film created for the collective audience experience.
It is not the only Netflix Original film that deserves a theatrical release. There is a slew of direct-to-Netflix films that deserved a meaningful box-office run.
1. Spiderhead is set to premiere on Netflix in 2022.
This underappreciated sci-fi drama was directed by Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, who used his architectural experience to create a remarkable production design. It is based on a thrilling short tale of the same name and stars Chris Hemsworth as a ruthless tech titan.
2. EXTINCTION
Extinction: Netflix 2018
This sci-fi actioner was full of twists and turns, with images that made you want to be as busy as possible. Featuring Michael Peña as a dad struggling to protect his family from alien invaders, it is a spectacular spectacle worthy of the big screen.
3. ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE.
Always Be My Maybe.
Netflix2019
This romantic comedy was a must-see for aficionados of romantic film fare, and it received enough notice before its premiere to warrant a theatrical run. Simply put, the world deserved to see Ali Wong and Randall Park’s chemistry (along with some meta-Keanu Reeves action!) on the big screen.
4. The Platform
The Platform: Netflix 2019
This sickeningly effective horror picture is exactly the type that draws genre lovers out to see it for themselves. Whether subtitled or not, the word-of-mouth on this film would have been enough to maintain an outstanding theatrical run, and it would have just been cool to witness such an innovative horror concept on screen.
5. The Mitchells versus the Machines
The Mitchells vs. The Machines, 2021
This amusing and touching animated adventure film deserved to be viewed on the big screen. Even those who saw it rarely remember it, which is a tragic shame.
6. The Sea Beast
The Sea Beast will premiere on Netflix in 2022.
Another animated film that was genuinely outstanding and could have easily raked in the family cash with a smart summer release. This player may have been a franchise starter. Alas!
7. The ADAM Project
The Adam Project and Netflix 2022
Was Ryan Reynolds’ action picture forgotten? Two days after it appeared on the streaming service? The film, starring Mark Ruffalo and featuring time-travel and a touching father-son story, deserved greater attention!
8. Army of the Dead.
Netflix2021
Zack Snyder’s zombie epic (and its precursor, Army of Thieves) were huge and audacious enough to deserve the price of admission. The scale of the plot alone would have been enough to support a big screen premiere, but when you throw in the great cast and innovative features (a zombie tiger!), there is no doubt it would have sold.
9. DA 5 Bloods
Da Five Bloods
Netflix2020
Spike Lee’s 2020 war drama might have generated even more buzz if it had received the wide distribution it deserved. Unfortunately, it was released during a global pandemic, but the fact that one of Chadwick Boseman’s final films sits so low on the list is disappointing.
10. Netflix: Triple Frontier (2019)
This 2019 actioner was simply too full with A-listers to vanish into the streaming ether as it did. The film starred Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal. That is nearly too much starpower. Furthermore, it was directed by the one and only Kathryn Bigelow.
11. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Netflix 2018)
This YA adaption trilogy was exactly the type of thing that could have appealed to young women and girls, who have proven to be box office powerhouses.
12. Tick, Tick, Boom!
Netflix2021
This one received a restricted release due to the Oscar campaign for the amazing Andrew Garfield, but it was not lengthy enough. Moviegoers across the world deserved to enjoy the magnificent music created for this Lin Manuel Miranda film.
13. Gerald’s Game 2017.
This film was the beginning of Mike Flanagan’s fantastic binge of Netflix originals, yet it was still worth seeing in theaters.
14. All Quiet on the Western Front.
Netflix2022
This war epic was too large for such a limited release. An adaptation of one of the most important World War II novels of all time, this could easily have been ranked among Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line if it had been more widely watched.
15. The harder they fall.
Netflix 2021: The Harder They Fall.
This star-studded Western was far too entertaining to fade away into the algorithm. Regina King and Idris Elba deserve the spotlight! Also, the outfit design was fantastic.
16. Bird Box (Netflix 2018)
This Sandra Bullock film was a dystopian nightmare that, perhaps ironically considering the subject matter, everyone wanted to watch. It would have been a much more immersive experience in the cinemas.
17. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Netflix2022
The original Knives Out film was a huge success in theaters, grossing more than $300 million worldwide. And, while we are glad for the opportunity to see Rian Johnson’s absurdly entertaining franchise continue, it appears too big for streaming alone.
18. Love and Monsters (2020)
This science-fiction original has all the ingredients for a sleeper hit: outstanding spectacular effects, humor and heart, and Dylan O’Brien as the bankable star at the center of the action.
19. Netflix 2020: The Old Guard
The same is true for this Charlize Theron-led thriller, which expertly blends supernatural and everyday action with an innovative twist.
20. Extraction: Netflix 2020
This Chris Hemsworth actioner was intended for the big screen, and while it was a huge hit on streaming platforms, it could have done a lot more at the box office.
‘Spiderhead’: Chris Hemsworth on ‘Fascinating Morality’ of His Ego-Driven Scientist
Profound? Funny? Twisted? Welcome to the warped world of great storyteller George Saunders, whose short story serves as the foundation for this futuristic prison drama. Chris Hemsworth portrays Steve Abnesti, an egotistical scientist who administers mind-altering medications to criminals who volunteer in exchange for lower terms.
“I was fascinated by the morality,” says Hemsworth, adding that his character had “a naivete about his actions.”
Abnesti’s studies take place in a cutting-edge jail, where inmates wear a surgically implanted device that dispenses medications. “There are no bars, no cells, or orange jumpsuits,” Netflix teases in Spiderhead. “Incarcerated volunteers are allowed to be themselves. Until they are not. Sometimes they are a better version. Need to lighten up? There is a medicine for it.
In the picture, two subjects, Jeff (Miles Teller) and Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett), bond, but Abnesti’s experiments lead to what director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) calls a look at “free will and the nature of redemption.”
Netflix Unveils First Looks at ‘The Gray Man’ and Other Upcoming Movies
Hemsworth’s portrayal is consistent with Saunders’ story.
“We needed someone who could do the contrast between charm and darkness,” Kosinski tells me. “Chris responded to this character who could pull the rug out from under the audience.”
Spiderhead is based on Saunders’ short story from The New Yorker magazine. Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Twisted Metal, Deadpool, Zombieland) wrote the script for this “genre-bending and darkly funny psychological thriller”.
Spiderhead, an original movie, premieres on Friday, June 17, on Netflix.
Michael Peña
ACTOR
Birth Name: Michael Anthony Peña
Birth Date: January 13, 1976
Age: 48 years old
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois
After a decade of striving to create a reputation for himself in small features and guest parts on television, actor Michael Peña emerged as a renowned performer with his stunning performance in the racially heated thriller “Crash” (2005). Peña began his career with a spectacular performance in “Million Dollar Baby” (2004), which sparked Hollywood’s attention. On the fourth season of the critically acclaimed cop drama “The Shield” (FX, 2002-08), he rose to prominence as a police detective struggling to reconcile his role with the corrupt Strike Team.
Peña’s subtle performance in “World Trade Center” (2006) as a Port Authority officer trapped in the rubble after the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York City catapulted him to stardom. He provided great supporting performances in the action thriller “Shooter” (2007), the stately courtroom thriller “The Lincoln Lawyer” (2011), and the action comedy “Tower Heist” (2011). Peña’s award-winning performance in the indie actioner “End of Watch” (2012) solidified his reputation as a versatile actor capable of excelling across genres.
Peña, born on January 13, 1976, on the south side of Chicago, IL, was reared by his farmer parents who migrated from Mexico to the United States. Despite his parents’ move to the city to work in factories, their agricultural mentality persisted. To the surprise of their city friends, Peña fondly remembered his father tending to a backyard garden where the family cultivated maize, tomatoes, and onions. When he was younger, his parents warned him to stay home, so he and his brother spent a lot of time watching television. When they were unable to watch, they created their own television shows, demonstrating the future actor’s creative abilities.
