Denzel Washington’s $130M Action Thriller Movie Becomes a Netflix Hit, 22 Years Later

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Netflix regularly adds a variety of older movies to its selection – films that originally played in theaters years or even decades ago and are now being discovered by new viewers. In January 2026, this included titles like Brüno starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Colombiana with Zoe Saldaña, Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake, and the popular legal drama Erin Brockovich, among others. These films can either gain new fans or offer a chance for those who enjoyed them before to watch them again. A 2004 action movie starring Denzel Washington is also among the additions and seems to be gaining popularity on the streaming service.

The film Man on Fire, directed by Tony Scott, received mixed reviews when it first came out. However, it’s proven popular with viewers on Netflix, suggesting its action-packed style still resonates with audiences.

What Is Man on Fire About & How Is It Doing on Netflix?

Denzel Washington stars in Man on Fire as John Creasy, a seasoned ex-CIA agent who has seen his share of conflict. He finds a chance for a fresh start when he takes a job protecting the nine-year-old daughter of a wealthy businessman. However, the girl, Pita (Dakota Fanning), is kidnapped by criminals working for a mysterious person known only as “Voice.”

This action-drama features a strong cast including Radha Mitchell (known from Pitch Black), Christopher Walken (Dune: Part Two), singer Marc Anthony, Giancarlo Giannini (Casino Royale), Rachel Ticotin (Total Recall), and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2). The film reunited director Tony Scott with Denzel Washington for the first time since their 1995 hit, Crimson Tide. They would go on to collaborate on Scott’s last three films: Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable.

Between December 29th and January 4th, the movie Man on Fire was the sixth most popular title on Netflix in the US. It followed Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Wrath of Man, KPop Demon Hunters, and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. It performed better than other recent additions to Netflix, including Ford v. Ferrari, The Girl Who Got Away, Pitch Perfect 2, and Priscilla.

Netflix usually adds new movies and shows on the first of the month, like they did with Man on Fire. However, a big addition is coming on the 15th: all the James Bond films! This means Man on Fire might have some competition for the top spot, but it can enjoy its time in the spotlight while it lasts.

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2026-01-08 18:10