Robert De Niro’s $9M Gangster Movie Becomes Streaming Hit After Box Office Disappointment

Robert De Niro’s M Gangster Movie Becomes Streaming Hit After Box Office Disappointment

Robert de Niro is best known for starring in gangster movies, but his most disappointing gangster movie is now dominating on a popular streaming platform. Having been active in Hollywood since 1963, de Niro has seen his share of change within the industry. His first credited role came in 1968 when he had a small role in the comedy Greetings. He would not find his niche in comedy, however, as he would later go on to star in The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971), The Godfather Part II (1974), Taxi Driver (1975), The Deer Hunter (1978), and other acclaimed roles.

The renowned actor earned two Oscars for his work in The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull (1981), but he would also see seven more nominations for other major roles. Though he occasionally returned to comedy for movies that included The King of Comedy (1984), he typically starred in gangster movies, having proven his love and respect for the genre through the decades. Undoubtedly, de Niro’s best movies focus on gangsters, but his most recent movie in the genre proved to be a $9 million disappointment.

The Alto Knights Is Experiencing A Resurgence

The Movie Is Dominating On HBO Max

The Alto Knights bombed at the box office, but its streaming success could offer a chance at a revival. Led by Robert de Niro as Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, the entire movie follows Genovese and Costello as they fight for control of 1950s New York City. Alto Knights was based on a true story, as the crime bosses spent their lives facing off against opposing criminal enterprises and the law. Unfortunately, despite de Niro’s involvement, the movie was a box office bomb, earning $9.6 million against a budget of approximately $50 million.

Despite its initial failure, The Alto Knights has seen success on HBO Max. According to a report by FlixPatrol, it is officially the most-watched movie on HBO at the moment and the second most-watched piece of content on the platform. Only the Sex and the City spin-off And Just Like That… is ahead on the charts. The Alto Knight is currently standing above How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), The Last of Us, Rick and Morty, The Wild Robot (2024), and other major movies and shows.

What This Means For Alto Knights And Hollywood

Theaters No Longer Mean Everything

Prior to the rise of streaming networks, box office grosses were extremely important. Movies could certainly still become profitable down the line, thanks to video sales and merchandising, but the box office total represented a massive opportunity to reach profitability long before needing to depend on DVDs or toy sales. Today’s major streaming networks, however, have completely changed Hollywood’s traditional calculus, and it continues to redefine the true meaning of profitability for modern movies. After all, even a $9 million film can become a success later on.

The Alto Knights is proof that streaming is changing the theatrical game, and it is impossible to know how Hollywood will change with it.

The reality is that audiences no longer need to flock to theaters to avoid waiting months or years to see a film. If it is not an event movie, they can simply wait to tune in on HBO, Peacock, or other platforms. The Alto Knights was never going to be a blockbuster hit in that environment, as there was no event involved to draw audiences in. Oppenheimer and Barbie drew viewers by artificially creating an event through their shared release date, but The Alto Knights had no major draw, outside of de Niro’s name. Streaming, however, needs no draw.

The Alto Knights

5/10

Release Date: April 21, 2025
Runtime: 120 Minutes
Director: Barry Levinson
Writers: Nicholas Pileggi
Producers: Irwin Winkler, Jason Sosnoff, Charles Winkler, David Winkler, Mike Drake, Barry Levinson