Dave Bautista’s Sci-Fi Flop Is Suddenly a Streaming Sensation

Let's talk about 'Afterburn', the Dave Bautista post-apocalyptic movie that basically nobody saw in theaters but has suddenly gotten a second life — and a much warmer welcome — on streaming.

From Box Office Disaster to Streaming Standout

Back when 'Afterburn' rolled out in U.S. theaters on September 19, 2025, most critics handed it a brutal send-off, and audiences just stayed away. To put some numbers on it: this thing had a $57 million budget — and scraped together only $1.3 million at the box office. Ouch.

But here's the twist: despite bombing in theaters, 'Afterburn' has actually gotten pretty popular over on MGM+. As of early May, it ranked among the platform's top 10 most-watched shows and movies. (Yes, it's slipped out of the top 10 since then — streaming popularity can be fickle — but if you believe the analytics from FlixPatrol, it definitely had a moment.)

In case you're wondering who or what exactly FlixPatrol is, that's a site that tracks what people are watching across a bunch of platforms. Their numbers aren't always all-inclusive, but they're good enough for a general sense of what's trending.

So What's the Story?

The plot is classic 'get the gang back together for one last job' — except the stakes are: Earth's been fried by a massive solar flare and now it's everyone for themselves. Bautista plays Jake, an ex-soldier who's turned into about the most burly treasure hunter you can imagine. His big mission? Risk it all to snatch the Mona Lisa in this apocalypse.

Who's Who in the Cast?

• Dave Bautista is Jake, the muscle-bound lead on a treasure quest
• Samuel L. Jackson plays August Valentine, presumably there to deliver cool lines and probably steal scenes
• Olga Kurylenko is Drea, a pivotal ally (or rival, depending on how twisty you like your sci-fi action)
• Kristofer Hivju is General Volkov, likely not just here for the scenery

The director was J.J. Perry (he made 'The Killer's Game'), with a script from Matt Johnson and Nimród Antal.

Critical Response: Mostly Ice-Cold, But Not All Bad

It's fair to say reviewers weren't dazzled. Check Rotten Tomatoes and you'll see a field of red. Still, one voice — Clement Tyler Obropta at Film Inquiry — had this to say:

'Afterburn might be extremely basic — as far as these go, anyway — but the filmmaking beneath the hood shows a lot of ambition and promise, and Dave Bautista handily proves that no matter the role, he always brings his A game.'

In other words: the movie's nothing groundbreaking, but Bautista gives it his all, and at least there are flashes of interesting filmmaking under the sheer, apocalyptic dust.

Final Takeaway

Here's what's actually interesting about the whole saga: not every flop stays a flop. 'Afterburn' tanked in theaters, but found a new crowd once binge-watchers discovered it at home. Not every streaming hit needs to be a critical darling, either. Sometimes all you need is Dave Bautista, some end-of-the-world chaos, and a Mona Lisa MacGuffin to keep folks entertained on a Friday night.