Ryan Gosling has usually turned movie-star charisma into serious box-office muscle, but one $130 million action thriller needed streaming to find its audience. Barbie became a $1.4 billion phenomenon, and more recently, Project Hail Mary opened to $140.9 million worldwide. Before that, The Fall Guy stumbled in 2024; but now Gosling’s latest action outing is now getting a welcome streaming revival.

The box-office disappointment may have had the last word in theaters, but streaming audiences are giving Gosling’s thriller a much happier second act.

The Fall Guy is enjoying a second life on streaming, with the Ryan Gosling action comedy available on Apple TV+ and Prime Video in the United States, while Netflix carries it in many other markets. Its theatrical run ended at $181 million worldwide, but home audiences have given the 2024 film fresh momentum.

The short theatrical window did little favors for The Fall Guy, as Universal Pictures moved the film to PVOD only weeks after its May 2024 release. That decision limited its opportunity to build box-office momentum, but it also positioned the action comedy for an unusually early home-viewing audience, where word of mouth could flourish.

What makes the streaming revival especially striking is how warmly audiences received The Fall Guy once they actually watched it. The film earned an 81% critics’ score and an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, before appearing prominently on Netflix and Prime Video charts. Its sustained visibility helped transform a theatrical disappointment into a streaming favorite.

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As Ryan Gosling fans count down to his next projects, it is worth unpacking why The Fall Guy missed theatrically but became a streaming favorite.

The Fall Guy had a rather expensive hurdle before audiences even bought a ticket. Reportedly costing $130 million, the Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action comedy needed enormous theatrical returns to justify its price tag. Its marketing also blended stunts, romance, and comedy so freely that its target audience was difficult to pinpoint.

Streaming, however, removed much of that friction. Audiences could watch The Fall Guy at home without ticket prices, parking, or concessions, while strong word of mouth helped its 81% Rotten Tomatoes score and A- CinemaScore travel further. Its early digital release also made waiting for home viewing feel like a perfectly sensible choice, thus explaining the streaming success.

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Have you caught up on The Fall Guy on streaming yet? Let us know in the comments!