After flopping at the box office, the 2023 sci-fi mystery is now trending on streaming charts across the UK and Ireland.
July 2, 2025 | Two years after being written off as a critical and commercial failure, Ben Affleck’s mystery thriller Hypnotic is enjoying an unexpected second life. Now streaming on Prime Video, the film has surged to the top of the UK and Ireland charts, becoming one of the platform’s most-watched titles—despite its rocky debut.
Originally released in May 2023, Hypnotic—directed by Robert Rodriguez—earned just $2.4 million during its opening weekend from over 2,000 theatres. With a reported budget of $65 million, it was Affleck’s worst box office opening nationwide. Critics didn’t help matters either: Empire called it a “confused thriller,” while The Guardian dismissed it as “preposterous tosh.”
Yet today, audiences on streaming appear intrigued by its complex narrative and visual ambition.
What is Hypnotic About?
Also Read: There Have Only Been Two A-List Women in Brad Pitt’s Life Who Have Left Him Starstruck
Affleck plays Detective Danny Rourke, a grieving father desperate to uncover the truth behind his daughter’s disappearance. His investigation leads him to a series of mind-bending bank robberies and a shadowy government mind-control program. Alongside a mysterious hypnotist, Diana Cruz (played by Alice Braga), Rourke dives deep into a conspiracy that blurs the lines between reality and illusion.
The film also stars JD Pardo, Dayo Okeniyi, Jeff Fahey, Jackie Earle Haley, and William Fichtner in key supporting roles.
A Troubled Production
Hypnotic began filming in 2021 but faced multiple production setbacks. Solstice Studios, originally set to market and distribute the film, folded later that year. The film was eventually picked up by Ketchup Entertainment, which screened a rough cut at SXSW 2023 before a full release.
Despite these hiccups, Affleck defended the film’s multi-layered storytelling, telling HeyUGuys:
“You really can’t appreciate the whole movie entirely until you watch it the second time… there’s so much that might seem strange, and then later, you understand why it’s that way.”
Why the Sudden Popularity?
Streaming has long served as a redemption ground for overlooked films, and Hypnotic is the latest to benefit. The twist-heavy plot may be more digestible at home, where audiences can rewatch or pause to unravel the dense narrative. And with renewed attention to Affleck’s career resurgence, curiosity about his past work is on the rise.
Tags:
Ben Affleck, Hypnotic, Prime Video UK, Robert Rodriguez, Alice Braga, streaming hit, mystery thriller, box office flop, second chance cinema, trending on Prime