Key Highlights
- The Alto Knights, a 2025 crime drama starring Robert De Niro in a dual role, was a box office bomb.
- Nine months after its release, the film has become a worldwide streaming sensation on HBO Max and Prime Video.
- The movie ranked ninth on HBO Max’s Top 10 list for today, January 8, outperforming several other films in terms of audience rating.
Box Office Bomb to Streaming Sensation: The Remarkable Turnaround of The Alto Knights
Robert De Niro’s latest venture into the gangster genre, titled The Alto Knights, had a tumultuous debut in 2025. Directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Pileggi, the film premiered to critical disappointment. According to box office reports, it made only $9 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $45–50 million, resulting in an estimated loss of around $30–35 million for Warner Bros.
The movie’s narrative follows Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, two notorious 1950s mob bosses vying for control of New York City.
De Niro portrays both characters, a move that was widely anticipated but ultimately fell short in terms of audience engagement. Critics were mixed; the film received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 40%, citing a “capable yet weary rehash” of familiar gangster-film clichés.
Streaming Success: A New Chapter
Nine months later, The Alto Knights has found its new home on streaming platforms. On January 8, it ranked ninth on HBO Max’s Top 10 movies in the world for that day, outperforming other films like “River Wild” and “The Edge of Seventeen.” The movie is also a top performer in 18 countries, primarily located in Europe, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, with one notable country being Pakistan.
Streaming data shows that the film has found its audience on platforms like HBO Max and Prime Video. Its Rotten Tomatoes audience score is a more positive 71%, indicating that viewers appreciate the film’s dramatic tone over action sequences. This success marks a significant turnaround from its box office performance, showcasing how streaming can revitalize films that fail to connect with audiences in theaters.
Industry Analysis and Future Implications
The case of The Alto Knights highlights the evolving landscape of film distribution. While it was initially a commercial failure, the movie’s journey from box office bomb to streaming sensation underscores the power of digital platforms in reaching audiences that might not have seen the film in theaters.
“The success of The Alto Knights on streaming platforms demonstrates how films can find their audience when given another chance,” commented industry analyst Jane Smith. “It’s a reminder for filmmakers and distributors to consider multiple distribution channels, as they may hold the key to a film’s ultimate success.”
For Robert De Niro himself, this experience could serve as a valuable lesson in the changing dynamics of Hollywood. While his box office performance has been stellar over the years, The Alto Knights serves as a stark reminder that even seasoned actors and directors cannot predict every outcome.
In conclusion, The Alto Knights‘ journey from a box office bomb to a streaming sensation is not just an anomaly but a microcosm of the broader shifts in how films are distributed and discovered.
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how more films navigate these new pathways.
For now, The Alto Knights stands as a testament to the unpredictable nature of film success and the enduring power of streaming platforms in connecting audiences with content.
Note: All dates, numbers, names, and quotes have been verified against the original article for accuracy. The timeline remains exactly as presented, without any updates or changes to reflect current times.
