The Dystopian Horror Movie With Two Yellowstone Stars That's Crushing It On Netflix

There's a certain horror movie lighting up the charts on Netflix right now — and it has a cast that will make "Yellowstone" fans look twice.

Back when "The Forever Purge" — the fifth entry in Universal Pictures' long-running "The Purge" series — saw a theatrical release in 2021, it seemed to have all the right pieces to be a success. The franchise had already become a well-known phenomenon by then, with its core concept of a day where all crime is legal capturing the minds of many viewers. Not only was this particular film poised to capitalize on the growing popularity of "Yellowstone," with both Josh Lucas and Will Patton on its cast, but it was also positioned as the grand culmination of the entire franchise.

But while "The Forever Purge" had plenty of promise, it ultimately didn't fare too well with moviegoers. The film proved to be a box-office bomb, and it also received a tepid reception from critics and audiences alike. Looper's review of "The Forever Purge" was particularly critical, describing the flick as "a last gasp of surface-level agitprop masquerading as genuine intrigue."

Despite a poor initial showing, this latest installment in the dystopian franchise is seemingly getting a second life on Netflix in several different territories. For the week of January 15 to January 21, "The Forever Purge" cracked Netflix's global list of its Top 10 English films, with 4.5 million views and a total of 7.7 million combined hours watched. In doing so, it beat out offerings like "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "Leo" for the sixth-place spot.

While "The Forever Purge" is seeing quite a bit of success on Netflix, it's difficult to pin down just why exactly it has gotten such a substantial second wind. However, there are several potential contributing factors that may have something to do with its newfound popularity.

For one thing, "The Forever Purge" had an uncharacteristically weak box office run when it first released, suggesting that a solid portion of audiences who watched previous entries didn't see it. That lackluster turnout may have to do with the struggle of theaters amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but whatever the case, the availability of the film on a streaming service as prominent as Netflix may have proven enticing for those who missed out on it the first time around.

Then, there's the matter of the increasing popularity of both the cast and crew behind "The Forever Purge." There were recognizable names attached to the film when it first released, as mentioned prior with "Yellowstone" stars Josh Lucas and Will Patton. However, other actors from the project have also gained more attention in the ensuing years, such as Tenoch Huerta from his role in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Of course, production company Blumhouse has also skyrocketed in recognizability due to recent high-profile projects like "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "M3GAN."

Whatever the case for its delayed success, the recent popularity of "The Forever Purge" may be just what "The Purge" needs to spark interest in production of another entry. After all, producer Jason Blum has already weighed on the future of the franchise — and fans will likely find the possibilities exciting.