Apple TV+ scored a big win with The Gorge, now its most popular movie ever. Starring Miles Teller (Whiplash) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit), the film, directed by Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, The Black Phone), even beat the premiere of Apple’s previous hit Wolfs, featuring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
The story follows Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy), two snipers from rival nations, guarding a mysterious gorge. Although stationed in separate watchtowers, they grow close. But when they discover the dangerous secret hiding below, they must team up to stop it from escaping. Sigourney Weaver also stars, and Zach Dean (The Tomorrow War, Fast X) wrote the script.
The movie premiered on Apple TV+ on Feb. 14 and quickly claimed the top spot on the streamer’s chart. Deadline reported that the film boosted viewership by 80% from the previous weekend and continues to grow fast worldwide. Matt Dentler, Apple Original Films’ Head of Features, shared that the company feels thrilled about the audience’s response.
It’s been a thrill for all of us at Apple to see the unforgettably original and inventive world Scott has created with ‘The Gorge’ resonate in such a massive way with audiences around the globe. Embarking on this immensely fun, genre-melding ride with our partners at Skydance has been an absolute joy, and we can’t wait to watch as even more fans discover the on-screen movie magic of Miles and Anya’s captivating performances.
Read More: ‘Severance’ Surpasses ‘Ted Lasso’ To Become Apple TV+’s Most Watched Series With Season 2 Launch
Fans and critics praise the strong chemistry between Teller and Taylor-Joy, and it’s helping the movie stay popular on Apple TV+. The Gorge holds a 64% critics score and a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. With positive word-of-mouth, more people are likely to watch it.
Apple might be the world’s biggest company by market value, but its streaming service is still growing. Even so, it has delivered some popular shows like Ted Lasso with Jason Sudeikis, The Morning Show, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and Severance, Dan Erickson’s mind-bending series starring Adam Scott, Christopher Walken, and Patricia Arquette. Severance, now in its second season, recently passed Ted Lasso as Apple TV+’s most-watched show.
Last year, reports revealed that Apple TV+ planned to cut back on show and movie budgets, especially since its monthly viewership still falls short of what Netflix gets in a single day. But the success of The Gorge and Severance might change that. Apple TV+ is now competing for a high-profile project—an upcoming UFO conspiracy movie from Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
Source: Deadline