A Sci-Fi Movie Branded One Of The Decade’s Worst Has Suddenly Climbed Peacock’s Streaming Charts, Leaving Viewers Curious About What Went Wrong
A sci-fi film that earned a staggering 4% on Rotten Tomatoes is finding an unexpected second life on streaming, despite being widely criticized as one of the worst movies of the decade so far.
War of the Worlds, the 2025 adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic 1898 novel, has returned to the spotlight after securing a place among the ten most-streamed movies on Peacock in the United States. Its unexpected chart performance comes despite the overwhelmingly negative reception that followed its release, making it a striking example of how a film’s reputation can spark renewed interest long after its initial debut.
Directed by Rich Lee, the sci-fi thriller features an ensemble cast led by Ice Cube, alongside Clark Gregg, Eva Longoria, Iman Benson, Michael O’Neill, and Andrea Savage. With several recognizable names attached to the project, the film appeared to have plenty of potential to attract audiences.
However, its critical reception told a very different story. The adaptation currently holds just 4% on Rotten Tomatoes, placing it among the most poorly reviewed films in recent years. Rather than preventing people from watching it, that reputation may be helping to fuel curiosity among streaming audiences who want to see for themselves what made the movie so divisive.
Its presence in Peacock’s top ten is particularly surprising given the scale of the criticism surrounding it. While the film has struggled to win over critics, its streaming performance suggests that viewers remain interested in checking out the much-discussed adaptation.
Another Poorly Reviewed Movie Is Dominating The Box Office
The unexpected attention surrounding War of the Worlds comes at a time when another heavily criticized film is making headlines for very different reasons.
Rob Savage’s horror movie Other Mommy, starring Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain, opened to an impressive $27.8 million domestically last weekend, securing the top spot at the box office.
Despite that strong theatrical debut, the film has faced a harsh response from critics. It currently holds just 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, putting it among the worst-reviewed releases of the year.
In his review for ScreenRant, Josh Bate awarded the film a score of 4 out of 10, criticizing its horror elements for falling completely flat.
Although Other Mommy has disappointed critics, its box office success stands in sharp contrast to the reception of War of the Worlds. The latter has become an example of how a film can attract attention for all the wrong reasons and still find an audience willing to give it a chance.
What Is The Most-Watched Movie On Peacock?
While War of the Worlds has managed to break into Peacock’s top ten, it has not claimed the platform’s number-one position.
That spot belongs to Disclosure Day, the latest science-fiction film from acclaimed director Steven Spielberg. The movie arrived on Peacock on October 9 and quickly became the most-watched title on the platform at the time of publication.
The film failed to make the expected impact with critics and at the box office earlier this year. Nevertheless, its arrival on streaming has given audiences another opportunity to watch Spielberg’s latest project, with its high-profile cast helping draw attention from subscribers.
Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, and Colin Firth lead the cast, offering viewers plenty of familiar faces alongside Spielberg’s established reputation as a filmmaker.
With Disclosure Day occupying the top spot and War of the Worlds earning a place among Peacock’s ten most-streamed movies, the platform’s current rankings highlight how differently films can perform once they reach streaming.
For War of the Worlds, the journey is especially unexpected. Despite its 4% Rotten Tomatoes score and reputation as one of the decade’s worst sci-fi films, the adaptation is still finding viewers willing to press play.