Academy Award winner Halle Berry is usually a safe box office draw. However, in 2024, her new horror movie Never Let Go simply couldn’t handle the level of genre competition it was facing, sadly falling into box office obscurity. Perhaps if released this year, given the sheer absence of many new horror films during Halloween weekend, the Lionsgate release would’ve fared better. However, with competition including the likes of the Naomi Scott-led Smile 2 and the Academy-recognized body horror hit The Substance, Never Let Go really never stood a chance.

However, a year on, and the lack of new horror options is causing Never Let Go to find popularity on streaming, even if spooky season is now in the rearview mirror. At the time of writing, Never Let Go has quietly joined the top ten most-streamed movies on Starz in the U.S. The horror flick has taken tenth position in a list packed with eye-catching titles, from the Nicolas Cage-led Arsenal to the recent Ana de Armas-led John Wick spin-off, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina.

Receiving a lukewarm critical reception upon arrival, the film only managed middling scores of 56% and 54% from critics and audiences on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s consensus reading, “Director Alexandre Aja‘s latest horror offering boasts anxiety-inducing atmosphere and a committed performance from Halle Berry, although audiences will have to let go of some storytelling expectations to enjoy the ride.” A synopsis of the movie reads:

“In this psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.”

Just How Bad Was ‘Never Let Go’s Box Office Run?

In the grand scheme of box office flops, Never Let Go wasn’t a total failure, at least managing to return its reported $20 million budget. With a $21.7 million global haul, split between $10.3 million in domestic revenue and $11.4 million from overseas markets, the film simply couldn’t keep up with its tough competition, finishing fourth in the domestic rankings on its opening weekend, and quickly slipping to eighth by its second weekend.

Never Let Go is streaming now on Starz. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

Release Date

September 27, 2024

Director

Alexandre Aja

Writers

Kevin Coughlin, Ryan Grassby