Jenna Ortega has become a huge star quickly, and it’s easy to see why. She’s known for popular roles in shows like Netflix’s Wednesday and hit horror movies such as Scream and X. Her path to fame hasn’t been entirely smooth, though. While she started as a child actor on Disney’s Stuck in the Middle, one dark fantasy film she appeared in initially failed at the box office but is now performing very well on HBO Max.
I have to say, I’m really enjoying Death of a Unicorn! It didn’t do so well in theaters – everyone thought it would make around $7-8 million opening weekend, but it only brought in about $5 million, and ultimately earned just $15 million total against a $16 million budget. But streaming is really giving it a second life! Right now, it’s the third most popular movie on HBO Max globally, only behind One Battle After Another and Sinners. The premise is wild – it stars Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd as a father and daughter who accidentally hit a unicorn on the way to a getaway, and then this billionaire tries to use the unicorn’s ability to heal itself. It’s a dark, funny, and surprisingly captivating movie!
Jenna Ortega’s Death of a Unicorn’s HBO Max Success Isn’t a Surprise
The movie Death of a Unicorn wasn’t successful in theaters and received largely negative reviews. Critics gave it a score of only 52% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the lowest-rated films directed by Ortega. Reviews were harsh, with Peliplat calling it a boring and uninspired story, and Screen-Space noting it struggled to deliver on its interesting premise. However, many big movies have failed in theaters but found an audience on streaming services, so the film’s streaming success isn’t particularly unexpected.
Despite the criticism of its weak special effects, familiar characters, and unoriginal story, Death of a Unicorn actually has a lot going for it. The film features a compelling duo—the current horror icon for Gen Z paired with the always-funny Paul Rudd—and their chemistry is fantastic. Plus, it’s from A24, a studio known for making popular and well-regarded independent films, and taps into the growing trend of dark, satirical horror that does well on streaming platforms.
I really enjoyed Death of a Unicorn – it seemed to connect with a lot of other viewers too, earning a great audience score of 76%, which is awesome for Jenna Ortega. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s a really fun, over-the-top monster movie with plenty of gore and a surprisingly sharp commentary on wealth and privilege. It’s just a solid, entertaining watch!
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2026-01-27 20:40