Why Adam Driver's $45M Sci-Fi Follow-Up To Star Wars Is Finally Getting The Love It Deserves

Although 2023’s 65 didn’t fare too well with audiences or critics upon its original release, the underrated sci-fi action thriller is finally getting the respect it deserved almost three years later. Some movies just don’t connect with audiences upon their initial release, even though they may be seen as underrated classics in the years that follow.

As hard as it may be to believe, both The Shining and Blade Runner were broadly dismissed by critics when they were first released. Although 2023’s Adam Driver vehicle 65 isn’t an under-seen classic on par with those masterpieces, the sci-fi thriller that is currently blazing its way up the streaming charts did suffer a similar fate.

What Is 65 About?

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods of A Quiet Place and Heretic fame, 65 is a sci-fi thriller with a killer twist. The movie’s story sees Adam Driver star as Mills, a spaceship pilot who crash-lands on a mysterious planet, only for the movie to eventually reveal that it is really Earth, 65 million years ago.

Mills and the crash’s lone other survivor, a young girl named Koa, struggle to survive in the inhospitable, dinosaur-infested ancient Earth. The pair try to find a way to escape the planet when they aren’t busy escaping the clutches of its many ravenous prehistoric monsters. Thus, 65 manages to cleverly blend the dinosaur action of Jurassic Park with futuristic sci-fi elements.

Why 65 Was A Box Office Bomb

Unfortunately for Beck and Woods, 65 may have been a bit too clever for its own good. Earning only 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie made a mere $60 million on a budget of $45 million. The main criticism aimed at 65 was that its story required too much slow setup and its action was too predictable.

65 was criticized for feeling humorless and for taking its time to reveal the movie’s true premise, which was effectively spoiled by its trailer. However, this doesn’t mean that the Driver vehicle was rejected by audiences entirely.

How 65 Became So Popular On Streaming

65 has become a huge hit on streaming in January 2026, rising to number 6 on HBO Max’s most-watched movies chart. Nestled behind the John Wick movies and One Battle After Another, 65 has performed admirably despite the streaming service’s packed slate.

This success could be attributed to a number of factors, such as viewers missing out on the movie upon its initial release, its clever premise, Driver’s fame, and the recent profile boost of its other lead actor, Ariana Greenblatt. Whatever the cause, 65 is now finally getting its flowers years after the sci-fi thriller flopped at the box office.