Chris Hemsworth is no stranger to success on Netflix thanks to the blockbuster Extraction franchise. But while the actor prepares to return as mercenary Tyler Rake in the highly anticipated Extraction 3, another of his films has unexpectedly found a new audience.
Hemsworth’s 2015 survival thriller In the Heart of the Sea has resurfaced as one of Netflix’s biggest movies worldwide, more than a decade after its disappointing theatrical run.
Directed by Hollywood filmmaker Ron Howard, the 122-minute adventure epic was added to Netflix on November 5, 2026, and has quickly climbed the platform’s global charts.
At the time of writing, In the Heart of the Sea ranks as the eighth most popular movie on Netflix worldwide.
A Star-Studded Tale of Survival at Sea
Based on Nathaniel Philbrick’s novel of the same name, In the Heart of the Sea tells a Moby-Dick-inspired story of man versus nature.
Hemsworth stars as Owen Chase, a whaler whose ship is struck by a colossal whale, setting off a desperate fight for survival.
The film boasts an impressive cast alongside Hemsworth, including Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Benjamin Walker, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Riley and Paul Anderson.
With such a high-profile cast and Ron Howard behind the camera, the film appeared to have all the ingredients for a major theatrical success.
But its journey to the big screen did not go as planned.
A $100 Million Box Office Disappointment
In the Heart of the Sea reportedly cost around $100 million to produce, making its box office performance particularly disappointing.
Released in 2015, the film found itself competing against Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a battle it was unable to win.
While The Force Awakens went on to earn around $2 billion at the global box office, In the Heart of the Sea brought in only about $90 million.
Critical reception also failed to give the film the boost it needed.
The movie holds a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on more than 200 reviews, while audience ratings were similarly modest at 54%.
The critics’ consensus described the film as an admirably old-fashioned adventure with strong storytelling and impressive visuals, but suggested it ultimately fell short of achieving the depth and epic scale it was aiming for.
Netflix Gives the Film a Second Chance
Despite its disappointing box office run and mixed reception, In the Heart of the Sea is now enjoying an unexpected revival on streaming.
Its rise into Netflix’s global top 10 suggests that audiences are giving the forgotten survival epic another chance.
At the time of writing, Dennis Quaid’s A Dog’s Perfect Christmas holds the top spot on Netflix’s global movie chart, followed by the Spanish thriller Collision Course in second place and The Good Lawyer in third.
For Hemsworth, the renewed interest in In the Heart of the Sea adds another Netflix success to his growing connection with the streaming platform.
And with Extraction 3 expected to arrive sometime in 2027, the actor may soon have yet another major streaming hit on his hands.