Tom Hardy’s $2.7M Prison Cult Classic Becomes HBO Max Hit 18 Years Later

The film has recently become very popular on HBO Max, nearly two decades after its initial release in cinemas. Though a gritty and realistic prison drama, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, it originally earned $2.7 million worldwide.

Currently, Bronson is the tenth most-watched movie on HBO Max in the United States, which is impressive considering it was released 18 years ago. It’s trailing behind more popular films like The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the John Wick movies (Parabellum, Chapter 2, and the original), and 33 Photos from the Ghetto.

The movie Bronson is based on the life of Charles Bronson, a notorious British criminal known for his violent behavior in prison. Tom Hardy plays Bronson in the film, which was made with a very small budget of just $230,000. Considering this, its earnings of $2.7 million were a significant success.

Released in 2008, the film Bronson, featuring Kelly Adams, Luing Andrews, Katy Barker, and Gordon Brown, was generally well-received by critics. It currently holds a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on critic reviews, with audiences giving it a similar score of 74%.

The recent success of Bronson on streaming platforms highlights Tom Hardy’s continued popularity as a leading actor and his tendency to take on interesting, smaller-scale projects. 2008 was a particularly busy year for Hardy, with the releases of RocknRolla and Sucker Punch, followed by Inception in 2010.

Tom Hardy consistently delivers enjoyable performances, as seen in last year’s Havoc and the Mobland TV series. He’s also well-known for his roles in the popular Venom movies, appearing in three films between 2018 and 2023. With a second season of Mobland on the way, Hardy is set to continue being a prominent actor in both films and television for the foreseeable future.

Tom Hardy consistently appears in several films each year, and his captivating performances mean that even lesser-known movies like Bronson will likely find new audiences for years to come. Other films of his that deserve another look include Warrior (2011), Locke (2013), The Drop (2014), and Legend (2015).

Even though the movie Bronson did well in theaters, Tom Hardy and Nicolas Winding Refn haven’t worked together since. Refn went on to direct films like Drive (2011) and The Neon Demon (2016). Whether they’ll collaborate again is uncertain, but the recent popularity of their film on streaming services makes a reunion seem likely and would be welcomed by fans.

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2026-01-31 21:31