Ridley Scott’s Divisive $403M Sci-Fi Movie Becomes Instant #1 Netflix Success, 14 Years Later

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Ridley Scott is a highly influential director known for iconic films like Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator. Though he continues to make movies, with such a large body of work, not all of them have been instant hits. Prometheus, the first of his Alien prequels, initially received mixed reactions when it came out in the early 2010s, but it’s now gaining a lot of popularity on streaming services.

Currently, Prometheus is the most popular movie on Netflix worldwide, according to the streaming data tracker FlixPatrol. It has a popularity score of 594, surpassing State of Fear (554) and Joe’s College Road Trip (446).

Why Prometheus Is a Streaming Hit on Netflix

Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien universe with Prometheus in 2012 was a highly anticipated event. Fans hoped he would revisit the themes of the original film and shed light on its mysteries, but the movie proved divisive. Though Prometheus received mostly positive reviews (a 73% score on Rotten Tomatoes), some viewers found its story confusing and weren’t satisfied with how it connected to the original Alien. While many admired Scott’s bold vision, others felt the prequel didn’t quite deliver.

Over time, opinions on Prometheus have improved, and the film is now appreciated more than it was initially. While it still has some weaknesses, viewers are now more willing to overlook them and engage with the film’s thought-provoking story about what it means to be human, and its stunning visuals. This is probably why it’s become popular on streaming services. With more Alien movies released since Prometheus (like Alien: Covenant), people are revisiting it and seeing it in a new light, and its availability on Netflix in many countries has helped with that re-evaluation.

The Alien franchise is experiencing a revival. The 2024 film Alien: Romulus was a successful hit, earning over $350 million worldwide, and the TV series Alien: Earth received positive reviews and has been renewed for another season. Plans are already underway for a sequel to Romulus, and there’s even discussion about bringing Sigourney Weaver back for a future film. With Alien making a comeback in recent years, fans are likely revisiting the earlier movies in the series.

So, after the mixed reaction to Alien: Covenant and its performance at the box office, Ridley Scott’s planned third prequel never materialized, leaving that story arc from Prometheus unfinished. It’s fascinating to me that there’s been a bit of a re-evaluation of those two films lately, and I wonder if that might convince the studio to finally let Scott finish what he started. The Alien franchise seems to be heading in a different, more popular direction now, but honestly, Scott’s a filmmaking legend, and he deserves a shot if he has a compelling vision. From what I’ve heard, he’s not actively working on another Alien film at the moment, but you never know – maybe an idea will strike him eventually.

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2026-02-18 18:44