Why Adam Driver’s $45M Sci-Fi Follow-Up To Star Wars Is Finally Getting The Love It Deserves

You know, I’m really glad people are finally discovering 65. It didn’t get much love when it first came out, and honestly, it felt a little overlooked. But it’s a really solid sci-fi action thriller, and I think it’s starting to get the recognition it always deserved. It just goes to show, sometimes a movie needs a little time to find its audience – what feels overlooked now can become a classic later on.

It’s surprising, but both The Shining and Blade Runner received mostly negative reviews when they first came out. While 2023’s 65, starring Adam Driver, isn’t considered a classic like those films, it initially faced a similar critical reception. Now, however, the sci-fi thriller is gaining popularity on streaming services.

What Is 65 About?

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, known for films like A Quiet Place and Heretic, 65 is a thrilling sci-fi movie with a surprising reveal. The film stars Adam Driver as Mills, a pilot who crashes his spaceship on an unknown planet. It’s eventually discovered that the planet is actually Earth, but 65 million years in the past.

After a crash landing, Mills and a young girl named Koa find themselves stranded on ancient Earth, a dangerous world filled with dinosaurs. They constantly fight to survive, both against the planet’s harsh environment and its many hungry prehistoric creatures, all while searching for a way to escape. The film, 65, successfully combines the thrilling dinosaur action of Jurassic Park with elements of futuristic science fiction.

Why 65 Was A Box Office Bomb

Despite a promising premise, the movie 65 didn’t quite hit the mark with audiences. It received a low score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and only earned $60 million at the box office, despite costing $45 million to make. Critics found the film spent too much time building up the story and that the action sequences were easily anticipated.

Some critics found the movie 65 to be lacking in humor and felt it took too long to get to the point, and the trailer actually gave away the main plot. Despite these criticisms, it wasn’t a complete failure with viewers.

How 65 Became So Popular On Streaming

The movie 65 quickly became popular on streaming platforms in January 2026, reaching number 6 on HBO Max’s list of most-watched films. Despite a lot of other content available on the service, 65 has done very well, landing behind hits like the John Wick series and One Battle After Another.

Several things likely contributed to the movie’s recent success. Many people probably didn’t get a chance to see it when it first came out, and its interesting story, plus the popularity of star Ryan Driver and the rising profile of Ariana Greenblatt, likely helped. Regardless of the reason, 65 is finally receiving recognition years after it initially underperformed in theaters.

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2026-01-19 17:30