Hilary Swank's $74M Disaster Movie Surges On Netflix's Global Charts 22 Years Later

Hilary Swank’s M Disaster Movie Surges On Netflix’s Global Charts 22 Years Later

Hilary Swank has enjoyed an exceptional career that has seen her star in dozens of movies and shows, and even her less-than-stellar productions are now receiving love. The actor first began her career in 1991 and quickly earned roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) as Kimberly Hannah, The Next Karate Kid (1994) as Julie Pierce, and Boys Don’t Cry (1999) as Brandon Teena. More recently, she starred alongside Reacher‘s Alan Ritchson as Sharon Stevens in Ordinary Angels (2024) and as Marissa Bennings in The Good Mother (2023).

She did not just restrain herself to theatrical roles, as she starred on the small screen in Camp Wilder, Beverly Hills, 90210, and, most recently, the critically acclaimed show Yellowjackets. The Golden Globe-nominated actor has left her impression on the industry and has enjoyed substantial success along the way. While she was most prominent in the ’90s, Yellowjackets is helping to bring her back to the spotlight. In doing so, it may have also saved one of Hilary Swank’s biggest theatrical disappointments.

The Core Is Surging On Netflix’s Charts

Its Success Is Global

In 2003, Swank starred in The Core, a star-studded disaster movie about preventing the destruction of the Earth’s core with the help of nuclear explosives. Swank helped to lead the movie as Major Beck Childs, alongside Aaron Eckhart’s Dr. Keyes and Stanley Tucci’s Dr. Zimsky. The film, which had a budget of $85 million ($149 million today), currently sits at a 39% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and also earned a 34% Popcornmeter score. It proved to be a critical disappointment and a box office disaster, earning just $74 million ($130 million today).

10 Best Hilary Swank Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes

A two-time Oscar winner, Hilary Swank’s filmography is littered with great films. Here are the actress’s highest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes.

Decades after it first debuted, however, The Core is experiencing a resurgence on Netflix. Among English-language movies, it earned the #6 spot globally this week with 4.5 million views. This marks its first week in Netflix’s top 10 and the first hint of potential success since it disappointed critics in 2002. The movie earned top 10 placements in 58 different countries, seeing success all across Latin America, Eastern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. It did not find success domestically, as it is not currently available in the United States.

Our Take On The Core’s Netflix Success

The Core Recently Debuted On Netflix

The Core‘s sudden success is an excellent sign for Swank, but it is not coming entirely from nothing. After all, the movie just arrived on Netlfix this week, so users are likely finding it as it appears in the “New on Netflix” recommendation section. It remains to be seen if the film will appear in the top 10 list again next week or if it was simply the new arrival that was driving interest. Either way, Swank and the rest of the cast and crew must be pleased to see their 2003 disappointment becoming a popular movie in 2025.

The Core is infamous for its poor dialogue, inaccurate science, and baffling narrative.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the movie will continue to see strong viewership moving forward. The Core is infamous for its poor dialogue, inaccurate science, and baffling narrative, so it is not likely to last too long in the top 10. Netflix already has a long list of disaster movies in its collection, so the flood of viewers should decline as soon as it moves away from the “New on Netflix” page. It is still possible that it could last, thanks to its becoming a trending movie, but even that success will not make up for that initial box office disappointment.

Source: Netflix