Taylor Sheridan’s Underrated Action Thriller Dominates On Streaming 5 Years Later

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Taylor Sheridan at Cannes Credit: ABACA/INSTARimages.com

Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay.

Following its release back in 2021, Without Remorse is now trending on streaming once again. Co-written by Yellowstone mastermind Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples, and directed by Stefano Sollima, the action thriller is an adaptation of the 1993 Tom Clancy novel of the same name.

Though it hasn't had much staying power as a straight-to-streaming Prime Video release, Without Remorse currently ranks as the sixth most popular title on the MGM+ streaming service. The movie beats A Working Man (2025) and She Rides Shotgun (2025) but falls behind the popular TV show From, as well as films like Roofman (2025) and Afterburn (2025). The Naked Gun (2025) occupies the number one spot.

This newfound streaming success for Without Remorse follows a mixed-to-negative reception from critics. The Clancy adaptation only has a 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the audience-driven Popcornmeter score is actually worse at 41%.

Starring Michael B. Jordan, the movie follows Navy SEAL John Kelly as he sets out on a path for revenge after Russian hitmen murder his wife and his unit. Though Jordan's performance is a point of praise, the film was met with criticism for its familiar story and plotting, as well as its failure to update certain action movie tropes.

Without Remorse was originally slated for a theatrical release, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a pivot to a streaming-only debut. Despite an underwhelming critical reception, the movie, which also stars Guy Pearce, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jacob Scipio, was a big viewership hit for Prime Video.

Prime Video also houses another popular Clancy adaptation in the form of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, a TV show starring John Krasinski. Though Jack Ryan season 5 isn't happening, the series will end with a film, which doesn't yet have a release date.

The film was popular enough to lead to the announcement of a follow-up called Rainbow Six. Jordan is expected to return for the sequel, and John Wick filmmaker Chad Stahelski will step in as director. Few updates have been shared about the project, however, with Stahelski last confirming that development was ongoing in December 2024.

Stahelski's next project is a Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill, and the announced John Wick 5 is also in development. It could still be quite some time, then, before Rainbow Six becomes a reality, if it ever does.

Though questions remain about the sequel, it's clear that audiences are now finding reasons to revisit Without Remorse. This gritty action film may not be as successful as Sheridan's other feature film projects, which include Sicario (2015) and Wind River (2017), but its newfound streaming success suggests it may deserve a second look.

Release Date April 30, 2021

Runtime 109minutes

Director Stefano Sollima

Writers Taylor Sheridan, Will Staples

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