Denzel Washington's Underrated $130 Million Action Movie Is Trending On Netflix At The Perfect Time

3 days ago 8

Denzel Washington as John Creasy in Man on Fire

Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release.

He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years.

As one of the most recognizable actors around, it is quite common for Denzel Washington's movies to dominate streaming charts. It's happening again on Netflix, as his 2004 action-thriller Man on Fire has been one of the most-watched movies on the world's biggest streaming service for the last week.

After it came to Netflix at the start of the new year, Man on Fire surged to second in Netflix's top 10 movie chart. A week later, the film is still in that ranking, currently hanging onto the tenth spot. It's been a stellar performance for the Tony Scott-directed feature 22 years later, proving how big the film deserved to be.

Man on Fire was underappreciated upon its release. It did okay at the box office, grossing $130 million, thanks to audiences enjoying the adaptation of A.J. Quinnell's novel. Critics were more negative about it, resulting in a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score. As great as it is to see Man on Fire catch on in any capacity at any time, the surge in interest is perfect for Netflix.

Netflix Has A New Adaptation Of Man On Fire Releasing Later This Year

Denzel Washington's Creasy smiling curiously while sitting on a bench in Man on Fire

For everyone watching Man on Fire on Netflix and loving it, this will not be the last time Washington's character, John Creasy, is on the streaming service this year. Washington never got a chance to make a sequel, even though there are more Quinnell books with Creasy, so with over two decades passing since this film, Netflix is now on the verge of releasing a fresh adaptation of the source material.

It's been known since 2023 that the streamer was working on a Man on Fire reboot, with Watchmen and Wonder Man star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II securing the lead role in 2024. Updates on the series were rather infrequent after this, leaving uncertainty about when it would come out and how it was taking shape.

At the same time that Denzel's Man on Fire is trending in the top 10, Netflix confirmed the TV show will come out in 2026 as it unveiled the first image of Abdul-Mateen II as Creasy. The single look at the reboot teases how the series is mirroring and updating the action-thriller story.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's John Creasy getting out of a truck with a gun in his hand in Man on Fire

While Netflix likely already had plenty of faith that the Man on Fire series would be a hit upon its release, the incredible popularity of Denzel's movie should bolster their confidence. Its trending nature proves its subscribers are very interested in this world and its characters. Even if Yahya isn't the same level of star as Denzel, that shouldn't stop millions of people from checking out the new take.

If anything, the popularity of 2004's Man on Fire should only increase anticipation for the upcoming TV show. More adventures with John Creasy are coming at the perfect time, and Netflix stands to benefit greatly, with the series primed to be another hit should it follow in the film's footsteps of dominating streaming charts.