$99M Prehistoric Adventure Movie Starring X-Men Star Climbs On Netflix's Global Charts 7 Years Later

A prehistoric adventure movie featuring an X-Men actor has climbed the Netflix global charts seven years after its original release. Many notable stars have appeared across the X-Men franchise, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, and Hugh Jackman, who reprised his role in multiple standalone films, along with Deadpool & Wolverine. The original movies, since debuting in 2000, remain cherished among fans, particularly because of the casting choices. The prequels also boasted recognizable names, including James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Dark Phoenix premiered in 2019 and concluded the X-Men franchise runs for McAvoy and others, but most of that cast have maintained impressive film slates ever since. Kodi Smit-McPhee, who portrayed Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X-Men: Apocalypseand Dark Phoenix, would eventually appear in Dolemite Is My Name and earn an Academy Award nomination for his performance in The Power of the Dog. Prior to joining X-Men, Smit-McPhee had sizable roles in various other films, including ParaNorman, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Slow West.

Alpha Is Finding Success On Streaming

The 2018 Movie Is On Netflix’s Global Top 10

In 2018, ahead of the Dark Phoenix release, Smit-McPhee starred in the prehistoric coming-of-age movie Alpha. Directed by Albert Hughes, the film explores the surprising companionship between a young man (Smit-McPhee) and a wolf during the last ice age. Along with Smit-McPhee, the cast includes Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Marcin Kowalczyk, Jens Hultén, and Mercedes de la Zerda. Following its premiere, Alpha earned over $99 million at the worldwide box office and was praised by audiences, holding a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80%.

Alpha Ending Explained: What Happens To Keda & The Injured Wolf

The 2018 movie, Alpha, tells a gripping story of a teenager and an injured wolf that form an unlikely bond and ends with them becoming friends.

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Now, seven years after its initial release, Alpha is finding success on streaming. The movie currently sits at #3 on the Netflix Global Top 10 list for the week of March 31 through April 6, just behind The Life List and One of Them Days. It also ranks ahead of Gerard Butler’s Geostorm and Sniper: Rogue Mission. Other films rounding out the Top 10 include The Core, Kraven: The Hunter, Con Mum, The Electric State, and Robinson Crusoe.

When it comes to the Netflix U.S. Top 10, Alpha ranks fourth, only being jumped by Geostorm. Other movies on the regional list include Despicable Me 4, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, Jack the Giant Slayer, Draft Day, and The Croods. Beyond the United States, Alpha appears on the Top 10 lists for four other countries: Austria, Germany, Brazil, and the Bahamas.

Our Take On Alpha Becoming A Netflix Hit

It Could Make Up For An Underwhelming Box Office

The streaming success of Alpha could make up for its relatively underwhelming box office and draw more viewers to the endearing relationship between Keda and his wolf. The movie already has a fresh Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, currently standing at 71%, and with it being more accessible on Netflix, a larger audience may begin to discover one of the X-Men star’s lesser-known roles. It's a positive side to streaming, and it can give the cast and crew of Alpha the appreciation they deserve for making such a compelling movie.