Will Smith and Margot Robbie’s Forgotten Film Brings Surprising Success on Netflix

Published 11/20/2024, 11:47 PM EST

Ensuring success in Hollywood was never really a cakewalk. Even though the entertainment capital evolves every minute to bestow the badge of resilience, rewarding the biggest names in the industry with what the audience dubs a blockbuster, not every anticipation pays off in ways they expect. Will Smith and Margot Robbie, the two hottest Hollywood tickets, also fell victim to critics’ mood swings with a forgotten flick.

As the film touched down on Netflix, it may have been on a mission for redemption. Despite the mixed reviews back in the day, the streamer crowned it with newfound success.

Which film starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie found fresh success on Netflix?

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In 2015, Will Smith and Margot Robbie teamed up for a crime comedy-drama, Focus. Although a decade has passed since its box office arrival, Focus is winning fans on Netflix by topping the US chart within the first week of its streaming release. Despite marking its arrival on Netflix against several new Christmas titles, Focus has overpowered films like Hot Frosty and Meet Me Next Christmas.

Focus only has a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas the newly released Hot Frosty has an 86% score on the review aggregator. Despite the difference, fans welcomed this 2015 film instead of the flicks, attempting to awaken the festive vibes early on. Though Focus was a box office hit, having grossed $186 million on a $65 million budget, the film has undeniably found much more success on the streamer despite the mixed reviews from critics and audience.

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This might have cinephiles quickly searching Focus on Netflix, so here is a quick rundown of the plot and key details.

Focus starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie: Plot, cast, and everything you need to know

Focus is a 2015 crime comedy-drama, written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. It stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro, Adrian Martinez, B.D Wong, Robert Taylor, and Gerald McRaney among others. Focus centers on Nicky Spurgeon (Will Smith), a seasoned con artist who mentors an up-and-coming femme fatale. The film hit the box office on February 27, 2015.

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The film finished first place at the box office in its opening weekend, playing in 3,323 theaters. Although the film was a hit, it garnered mixed and average reviews worldwide, spanning Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and beyond. While Smith and Robbie crossed paths for a second time again in DCEU, with Focus’ newfound success on Netflix, fans certainly would not mind them joining the forces once more.

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What do you think of Will Smith and Margot Robbie's Focus' popularity on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1545 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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