Scarlett Johansson’s $3M Directorial Debut Becomes A Netflix Streaming Hit After Quiet Theatrical Release

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Scarlett Johansson’s first time directing a movie didn’t make much of a splash in theaters, earning only $3 million globally. But now, it’s gaining popularity after being added to Netflix.

Johansson’s film, Eleanor the Great, is a comedy-drama featuring June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rita Zohar. Squibb stars as Eleanor, a 94-year-old who returns to New York City after the passing of her close friend, Bessie (Zohar), a Holocaust survivor. In New York, Eleanor, now feeling isolated, forms a connection with a journalism student named Nina (Kellyman) and becomes entangled in a growing deception. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

The movie Eleanor the Great is currently a top 10 hit on Netflix in the United States. It started streaming on January 24th and has been consistently ranking between eighth and tenth place since then. As of today, it’s in tenth position, following titles like The Rip, M3GAN 2.0, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, Miracle: The Boys of ’80, Secret Mall Apartment, Dhurandhar, People We Meet on Vacation, and No Time to Die.

©Sony Pictures Classics/Courtesy Everett Collection

Critics were divided on Eleanor the Great, giving it a 66% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While some found the movie’s tone uneven, nearly everyone praised actress Squibb’s performance. Rachel LaBonte of ScreenRant wrote that Squibb is the film’s biggest strength, bringing a charming and witty energy to her role, making viewers wish they could be friends with her character, Eleanor.

Viewers loved Johansson’s first time directing, giving the film a very high approval rating of 93% on the Popcornmeter – a much more positive reaction than many critics had. This strong audience response has quickly translated into widespread success in the United States, just days after the movie became available on Netflix.

The movie Eleanor the Great tells a made-up story, but it’s based on the life of the filmmaker Tory Kamen’s grandmother. Like the character in the film, Kamen’s grandmother moved to New York from Florida in her nineties. She also talked to her granddaughter about the difficulties of making new friends later in life, and how people often seemed more interested in hearing about her past than getting to know her now.

Before starring as Eleanor the Great, Squibb earned praise for her role in the 2024 film Thelma, where she portrays a 93-year-old woman seeking out the person who defrauded her of $10,000. She also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Nebraska. Kellyman’s previous roles include appearances in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Disney+ series Willow, and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.

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2026-02-01 20:23