Ana de Armas as Sadie Rhodes holding a gun in Ghosted
Although Freelance, Wolfs, and Ghosted all failed to impress critics and struggled at the box office, the three action comedies have proven that the genre has a lot of potential on streaming. Some projects fare better on streaming than they ever managed upon their original release, for a variety of reasons.
For example, although 2011’s CBS sitcom Two Broke Girls was a critical failure upon its original release, the show managed to win over Netflix viewers in 2026. This could have been because nostalgia for the early 2010s was reaching its peak, and the show’s style and aesthetic were reminiscent of that distinct cultural era. Similarly, although 2006’s college comedy Accepted wasn’t a box office hit or a critical success upon its original release, this did not stop Netflix viewers from flocking to the movie two decades later. In this instance, the presence of A-list stars like Jonah Hill and Blake Lively in pre-fame roles may have been a deciding factor. Freelance, Wolfs, and Ghosted Were All Critical Failures One recognizable trend in the world of streaming successes that struggled with critics is the frequent presence of action comedies. Action comedies have enjoyed mixed fortunes at the box office for decades, with huge hits like Rush Hour or the 21 Jump Street movies being canceled out by major failures like Hudson Hawk or Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. Despite the success of franchises like the Beverly Hills Cop movies, action comedies have never been a reliable bet for Hollywood producers. As such, it is perhaps unsurprising that recent years have seen a string of action comedies fail at the box office, demoted to direct-to-streaming releases, or both. Directed by Taken’s Pierre Morel, 2023’s Freelance saw John Cena star as a disgraced former Special Forces operator who is saddled with the humiliating task of escorting Alison Brie’s journalist to interview a dictator. Things predictably go south fast, and the pair end up caught up in a bullet-strewn chase across a South American country. The mismatched pair must work together and trust each other’s strengths to survive in a story that is not only overly familiar but also oddly dark and violent at times. Critics and audiences were equally unimpressed by Freelance, which earned 0% on Rotten Tomatoes upon release. The movie was also a box office disaster, earning $10 million on a $40 million budget. The same year’s Ghosted, which reunited Knives Out co-stars Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, followed Evan’s lovable everyman as he pursued de Armas’ enigmatic, beautiful Sadie. Before viewers could recall the plot of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, True Lies, Killers, or Knight and Day, Ghosted revealed that Sadie was actually a secret agent. She and her love interest were soon whisked off on a mission to save the world, but Ghosted’s familiar storyline clearly didn’t inspire much confidence in the studio that made the movie. Ghosted went straight to streaming, while George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s 2024 release Wolfs did slightly better with critics, but was controversially pulled from its planned cinema release at the last second. These Action Comedies Were All Redeemed With Streaming Success Like Ghosted and Freelance, 2024’s Wolfs was another high-concept starry action comedy, this one starring Clooney and Pitt as a pair of competing criminal fixers who are called upon to do the same job. When the body they are meant to disappear turns out to be very much alive, the unlikely duo are forced to work together. All three of these action comedies could be criticized for their formulaic plots, as they all focus on mismatched duos that are ten a penny in this particular sub-genre. However, they also have something else in common. While Freelance made it to the #6 most-watched spot on Netflix, Wolfs and Ghosted managed to earn the #5 and #9 spots, respectively, on AppleTV. Subscribe to the newsletter for streaming action-comedy insights Want more on why action comedies find a second life on streaming? Subscribe to the newsletter for focused analysis, trend breakdowns, and pick recommendations that unpack streaming’s role in reviving overlooked genre favorites. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Evidently, there is a market for movies like this, especially considering the fact that Ghosted set AppleTV records when the movie was first released on the streaming service in 2023. However, the fact that Wolfs was pulled from a cinema release at the last moment, much to the chagrin of its director, proves studios don’t trust the genre’s big-screen appeal. Wolfs, Freelance, and Ghosted Highlight A Surprising Reality As surprising as it may sound, action comedies appear to only excel on streaming now, as evidenced by the genre’s lack of major releases in 2025. While the Idris Elba/John Cena vehicle Heads of State shared the same tone, style, and sense of humor as the projects mentioned above, the movie also predictably went straight to streaming. The era when movies like Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, or Hot Fuzz could be huge box office successes has seemingly passed, as the only major action comedies at the multiplex now are superhero movies like Deadpool Vs Wolverine or The Suicide Squad. For the likes of Ghosted, Freelance, and Wolfs, streaming is the action comedy’s new home. 13 7.0/10 8/10 Wolfs 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed R Thriller Comedy Crime Release Date September 20, 2024 Runtime 108 Minutes Director Jon Watts Writers Jon Watts Cast See All
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