Scarlett Johansson’s Romantic Comedy Achieves 90% RT Audience Score and Becomes a Streaming Sensation

Scarlett Johansson continues to stand out as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable talents, having showcased her versatility across a myriad of genres for nearly thirty years. While she is predominantly recognized for her role as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), her impressive career began long before her MCU debut in Iron Man 2 in 2010. Johansson bid farewell to the superhero franchise with the release of Black Widow in 2021.

Apart from her celebrated contributions to the MCU, Johansson has made her mark in independent and critically acclaimed films. Notable entries in her filmography include Asteroid City (2023), Marriage Story (2019), and Under the Skin (2013), which ventured into the horror genre. Throughout her career, she has also participated in several romantic comedies, such as Lost in Translation (2003), Don Jon (2013), He’s Just Not That Into You (2009), and Scoop (2006). This year, she returned to the rom-com genre, starring alongside Channing Tatum.

Fly Me to the Moon Achieves Streaming Success

The Box Office Flop of Scarlett Johansson’s Rom-Com

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Released in theaters earlier this year, Fly Me to the Moon has surprisingly found considerable success on streaming platforms. Directed by Greg Berlanti, the film features Johansson as Kelly Jones, a marketing specialist, and Tatum as Cole Davis, a NASA launch director. The plot revolves around their efforts to orchestrate a fake moon landing as a contingency plan for the real Apollo 11 mission. Although the movie garnered largely positive feedback, with Rotten Tomatoes scores reflecting 65% from critics and an impressive 90% from audiences, it notably struggled at the box office.

After its release on Apple TV+ on December 6, Reelgood reports that Fly Me to the Moon quickly climbed the ranks, becoming the ninth most popular film in U.S. streaming for the week of December 5 to 11. It surpassed titles like Nutcrackers (2024) but fell behind others such as Subservience (2024) and Speak No Evil (2024), with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice reigning at the top.

Reelgood Top 10 Movies List (Dec. 5 – 11)
1	Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
2	Smile 2
3	Deadpool & Wolverine
4	Alien: Romulus
5	The Substance
6	Speak No Evil
7	My Old Ass
8	Subservience
9	Fly Me to the Moon
10	Nutcrackers

Implications of Fly Me to the Moon‘s Streaming Success

Understanding the Box Office Performance of the Apple Original

Initially, Fly Me to the Moon was scheduled for a streaming-only premiere on Apple TV+. However, buoyed by positive feedback from initial screenings and an appealing cast lineup, the decision was made to release it theatrically through Sony Pictures. While the audience score of 90% implies viewers generally enjoyed it, the film’s financial outcome was disappointing. Produced on a hefty budget of $100 million, its worldwide earnings totaled around $42 million.

The substantial budget for a romantic comedy raises eyebrows—a production aiming for a break-even point likely around $200 million, although circumstances may differ given its earlier intended release for streaming. The film’s current success on streaming services was anticipated, especially following its recent availability on Apple TV+. Moving forward, the key will be whether Fly Me to the Moon can maintain prominence on Reelgood’s streaming charts in the weeks to follow.

Source: Reelgood

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