“Ryan Reynolds & Kevin Costner’s 2016 Sci-Fi Thriller Lands on New Streaming Platform”
Ryan Reynolds & Kevin Costner’s 2016 Sci-Fi Thriller Finds New Streaming Home
Shortly after Ryan Reynolds made waves with Deadpool in 2016, he starred in another film just two months later alongside Kevin Costner. That film, Criminal, has largely faded from memory until now. This sci-fi thriller, directed by Ariel Vromen, is making a comeback as it lands on the streaming platform Max on September 1.
Despite its star-studded cast, which includes Gary Oldman, Gal Gadot, and Tommy Lee Jones, Criminal struggled at the box office, grossing $38 million against a $31 million budget. The film’s initial reception was lukewarm, earning a mere 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was overshadowed by major releases such as Disney’s live-action The Jungle Book and Ice Cube’s Barbershop: The Next Cut, finishing sixth in its opening weekend.
In Criminal, Reynolds plays CIA agent Bill Pope, who dies while on a mission to meet a hacker capable of launching missiles. To locate him, officials turn to an experimental neurosurgeon who transfers Pope’s memories into Jerico Stewart (Kevin Costner), a violent death-row inmate. Stewart, now equipped with Pope’s skills and knowledge, must thwart a dangerous international conspiracy.
While Criminal struggled in 2016, Reynolds’ career soared with the success of Deadpool 2, which grossed $785 million, and the recent Deadpool & Wolverine, which has become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time with $1.2 billion in earnings.
On the other hand, Costner’s 2024 has been less favorable. Despite high hopes for Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1, the film flopped at the box office, earning only $34 million against a $50 million budget. Nevertheless, the Western epic has found some success on streaming platforms, and Costner remains hopeful about completing his saga.
Criminal joins other new additions to Max this month, including Everything Everywhere All at Once, Boogie Nights, The Exorcist, and Shrek Forever After. You can catch Criminal when it begins streaming on September 1. Check out the trailer below.
