A controversialBen Stillermovie is now trending on streaming more than a decade after its original release. The actor, who is the son of comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, is also best known for his comedy performances, having broken out inThere’s Something About MaryandZoolanderat the turn of the millennium, also directing the latter title. He is also the lead of multiple comedy franchises with at least three installments apiece, includingMeet the Parents,Madagascar, andNight at the Museum.
In more recent years,Ben Stiller has become better known as a director. Although he still periodically makes onscreen appearances in projects such asLocked Down,Bros, andNutcrackers, he has achieved notoriety behind the camera for projects including the Showtime dramaEscape at Dannemora, which earned him two Emmy nominations. He is also part of the producing and directing team behind the popularApple TV+ sci-fi showSeverance, which has earned him an additional pair of Emmy nominations. This push toward directing may have been prompted by starring in movies like his now-streaming 2012 failure.
The Watch Is Now Trending On Hulu
It Was Poorly Received In 2012
2012’sThe Watch, which featuresstar Ben Stilleras one of a quartet ofhapless men who create a neighborhood watch program only to uncover an alien invasion, is now trending on a major streaming platform. The movie was controversial because its release came shortly after Trayvon Martin was shot by a neighborhood watch member in February 2012, prompting a change to the movie’s original title,Neighborhood Watch. However, it was also poorly received in general, having earned a dismal 16% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Watch, which was co-written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg with Jared Stern and directed by Akiva Schaffer, also starred Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Richard Ayoade.
The Watchhas now made an appearance onHulu’s daily chart of the most-watched movies on the streaming platform. At the time of writing,it is No. 14 on the chart, ranking ahead of the 2005 Jennifer Lopez comedyMonster-in-Law(No. 15) and behind movies including the Pixar titlesInside Out(No. 13),Up(No. 12),WALL-E(No. 6),The Incredibles(No. 5),Finding Nemo(No. 3), andRatatouille(No. 1). If Pixar’s library titles had not experienced a mass resurgence in recent days,The Watchcould easily have already landed in the Top 10.
What This Means For The Watch
Its Fate Is Likely Still Sealed
Post-release success on streaming can sometimes reignite a franchise, as has recently happened whenSuitsspawned the spinoffSuits LAafter breaking streaming records in 2023. However, theSeth Rogen and Evan Goldberg moviewould likely need a much bigger boost on streaming to spur talks of a sequel. In spite of the presence of Ben Stiller and other major stars,The Watchwas a major box office bomb in 2012,only grossing $68.3 million against its $68 million budget.
