Sylvester Stallone’s Underrated Superhero Thriller Just Hit Streaming

Some movies get a big splashy launch. Others just kind of sneak onto a streamer and hope you notice them. Case in point: remember that Sylvester Stallone superhero flick that barely made a blip a couple years back? No? Don’t worry—almost nobody does. But now that 'Samaritan' is getting a new lease on life (and, crazily, a sequel), it’s probably time for a refresher on what you missed.

A Superhero Movie with Stallone, Sort Of

Here’s the gist: 'Samaritan' showed up on Prime Video in 2022, after a bumpy ride that started with a planned theatrical release—back in 2020. The pandemic derailed that (along with pretty much everything else back then), which means this movie was delayed, delayed, and delayed again. If you blinked, you probably missed it.

For those who never stumbled across it, 'Samaritan' is not your typical cape-and-cowl movie. The setup: there’s a kid named Sam (Javon 'Wanna' Walton) who becomes convinced his grumpy, hermit neighbor Joe Smith (Stallone) is the long-lost superhero Samaritan. Samaritan supposedly died in a grenade-flinging showdown with his archenemy Nemesis years before, but maybe he just went off-the-grid. Now Sam needs the old guy to step up again because their city is in the middle of yet another crime wave.

• Directed by: Julius Avery
• Written by: Bragi F. Schut (who also wrote the upcoming sequel)
• Main cast: Sylvester Stallone, Javon 'Wanna' Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Dascha Polanco, Moisés Arias
• Original story process: Started as a spec script, then became graphic novels, then became the movie

Critics Hated, Audiences Shrugged (or Loved?)

There’s a fun disconnect here—critics were not down for this one. 'Samaritan' managed a measly 38% on Rotten Tomatoes with the critic crowd, who basically thought it was a generic slog with a big, brooding hero at the center. Audiences, on the other hand, gave it a 70% score, so if you go by poll numbers, the regular folks were much more into grizzled Stallone punching out street thugs than the film reviewers were.

The vibe here is more 'retired garbage man' than 'billionaire playboy,' and that’s kind of the point—this guy is older, beat up, and definitely not raiding a Batcave for new gear every time he gets bored. The movie itself doesn’t do anything wild with the genre (except for a genuinely unexpected twist at the end, which, to its credit, I did not see coming), but it works if you want a street-level, grumpy anti-hero.

"One of the best superhero movies of the past several years."

(That’s how some fans characterized it, anyway. Critics would like a word.)

So About That Sequel

Because streaming hits drive all things in Hollywood now, Amazon announced back in 2023 that 'Samaritan 2' is officially a go. Details are scarce (honestly, there’s basically nothing to tell—no plot, no release year, no new cast), but we do know Stallone is returning to glower his way through another round, and Bragi F. Schut will once again write the script. Problem is, Stallone’s busy at the moment with 'Tulsa King' (his Taylor Sheridan TV project), so don’t hold your breath for the sequel to show up anytime soon.

Where (and When) You Can Watch

If you’re even remotely curious—or just like tracking down every superhero movie ever—you’ve still got options. 'Samaritan' is still sitting on Prime Video, but if you don’t want to pay for yet another streamer, it’s coming back to Tubi (the free, ad-supported one) starting April 1. Which means now’s a good chance to see why fans kept clicking play even when the critics ran the other way.

And who knows, maybe it’ll make you actually care if 'Samaritan 2' ever sees the light of day.