Entertainment: Netflix Action-Thriller With Only 37% Audience Score Beats Tom Hardy's New Film in the Charts in Just 1 Day

Why is the topic trending? 

• Unexpected Chart Performance: A German-English action thriller, "Exterritorial," with a low audience score (37%), quickly rose to the top of Netflix charts, surpassing the performance of a new, star-studded Tom Hardy film, "Havoc." This unexpected shift in viewership is generating interest.

• Netflix's Focus on International Content: The article touches on Netflix's strategy of promoting and finding success with foreign-language films and series, highlighting "Exterritorial" as the latest example.

• Audience vs. Critic Reception: The stark contrast between the audience score of "Exterritorial" and the initial positive buzz it generated by topping charts raises questions about the factors driving viewership on streaming platforms, which differ from traditional critical acclaim.

• Comparison of Two Netflix Releases: The article directly compares the performance of "Exterritorial" to the Tom Hardy-led "Havoc," a film that had a strong initial opening but was quickly overtaken, making it a talking point in terms of streaming success metrics.

• Global vs. English Language Charts: The distinction made by Netflix between English and non-English language charts, and the fact that "Exterritorial" topped a combined chart by FlixPatrol, adds to the intrigue of its performance.

Overview:

The article discusses the surprising chart performance of the Netflix action-thriller "Exterritorial." This German-English bilingual film, which premiered on April 30th, 2025, quickly climbed to the top of the global Netflix charts on FlixPatrol, outperforming the Tom Hardy-led "Havoc," which was released just five days prior. This is particularly notable because "Exterritorial" has received a low audience score of 37% on the Popcornmeter, contrasting with the mixed but slightly more positive initial reception from a small number of critics. The article highlights Netflix's success with non-English language content and suggests that viewership on the platform can be driven by factors beyond traditional critical acclaim. While "Havoc" had a strong opening and topped the English-language charts, "Exterritorial's" rapid ascent to the top of a combined chart demonstrates the potential for foreign language films to capture significant audience attention on Netflix.

Detailed Findings:

• "Exterritorial" Chart Success: The German-English action thriller reached the top of the Netflix charts on FlixPatrol just one day after its premiere, outranking "Havoc."

• Audience Reception of "Exterritorial": The film received a low audience score of 37% on the Popcornmeter. It has a limited number of critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with a mix of positive and negative feedback.

• "Havoc's" Performance: The Tom Hardy-starring action thriller had a strong initial opening, topping the Netflix English-language charts with 29.8 million views in its first week. It received a 67% score from critics but an even lower 38% audience score.

• Netflix Chart Categorization: Netflix separates English from non-English language charts, while FlixPatrol combines them. "Exterritorial's" performance is more impressive due to its topping the combined chart.

• "Exterritorial" Plot: The film follows a former elite soldier whose son goes missing inside the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, leading her to uncover a dangerous conspiracy.

• "Exterritorial" Cast and Crew: Written and directed by Christian Zübert, and stars Jeanne Goursaud, Dougray Scott, Lera Abova, and Kayode Akinyemi.

Key Takeaway:

The Netflix action-thriller "Exterritorial," despite a poor audience score, surprisingly outperformed the Tom Hardy-led "Havoc" on the global Netflix charts shortly after its release, highlighting the unpredictable nature of streaming viewership and the potential for non-English language content to achieve significant success.

Main Trend:

The Unpredictable Rise of Low-Audience-Score Foreign Content on Streaming Platforms

Description of the Trend (please name it):

The Global Streaming Surprise

What is consumer motivation:

• Discovering international content.

• Subtitles not being a barrier for some viewers.

• Intriguing plot premises.

• Algorithm-driven recommendations leading to unexpected discoveries.

• Word-of-mouth or social media buzz, even if not reflected in overall audience scores.

What is driving trend:

• Increased availability of diverse international content on streaming services like Netflix.

• Netflix's strategy of promoting non-English language titles.

• The global interconnectedness fostered by streaming platforms.

• The potential for different cultural preferences in film.

• The limitations of audience scoring systems which may not reflect all viewers.

What is motivation beyond the trend:

• Desire for engaging action and thriller films.

• Interest in different cultural perspectives and storytelling styles.

• Looking for something new and different from mainstream Hollywood productions.

Description of consumers article is referring to:

• Age: Likely a broad age range, as Netflix has a diverse user base. Younger, digitally native audiences might be more open to international content.

• Gender: Not specified in the article.

• Income: Not directly relevant, as Netflix subscriptions are accessible to a wide range of income levels.

• Lifestyle: Individuals who subscribe to Netflix and are actively seeking out new movies to watch, potentially across different genres and languages.

Conclusions:

"Exterritorial's" success demonstrates a growing trend where foreign language films with less favorable audience scores can unexpectedly climb to the top of streaming charts, indicating a complex interplay of factors influencing viewership on platforms like Netflix.

Implications for brands:

• Streaming Platforms: Should continue to invest in and promote international content, recognizing its potential for unexpected success. They might also need to analyze viewership data beyond just audience scores to understand what resonates with viewers.

• Film Producers (International): This trend can be encouraging, showing that content from various regions can find a global audience on streaming platforms.

Implication for society:

Highlights the increasing globalization of entertainment consumption, with audiences becoming more open to content from different countries and in different languages.

Implications for consumers:

• Greater access to a wider variety of films from around the world.

• Potential for discovering hidden gems that may not have high overall audience scores but still appeal to individual tastes.

Implication for future:

The "Global Streaming Surprise" trend is likely to continue as streaming platforms expand their international content libraries, leading to more unexpected hits from diverse cinematic traditions.

Consumer Trend (name, detailed description):

The Global Content Explorer: This trend describes streaming service subscribers who actively seek out and watch content from different countries and in various languages, demonstrating an openness to diverse storytelling and a willingness to overcome language barriers for engaging entertainment.

Consumer Sub Trend (name, detailed description):

The Subtitle-Savvy Binger: A sub-trend highlighting viewers who are comfortable watching content with subtitles and do not let language be a significant factor in their choice of films or series on streaming platforms.

Big Social Trend (name, detailed description):

The Democratization of Content Consumption: Streaming platforms are breaking down geographical barriers and providing a global stage for content creators from around the world, leading to a more diverse media landscape.

Worldwide Social Trend (name, detailed description):

The Rising Popularity of Non-English Language Entertainment: Following the success of shows like "Squid Game," there is a growing global appetite for high-quality films and television series produced outside of traditional English-speaking entertainment hubs.

Social Drive (name, detailed description):

The Desire for Novelty and Diverse Perspectives: Consumers are often seeking fresh and unique storytelling that can offer perspectives different from those commonly found in mainstream Western productions.

Learnings for brands to use in 2025: (bullets, detailed description)

• Don't solely rely on traditional metrics like audience scores to predict the success of content on streaming platforms.

• Invest in and promote a diverse range of international content.

• Recognize the growing audience for non-English language films and series.

• Algorithm recommendations play a significant role in driving unexpected viewership.

Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025: (bullets, detail description)

• Streaming platforms should continue to curate and promote their international film and TV offerings prominently.

• Producers of international content should consider streaming platforms as a viable route to reaching a global audience.

• Further research into the factors that drive viewership beyond traditional metrics on streaming services is warranted.

Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article (which is a summary of all trends specified):

In 2025, "The Global Streaming Surprise" sees the Netflix action-thriller "Exterritorial," with a low audience score, unexpectedly topping the charts over Tom Hardy's "Havoc," highlighting the rising and often unpredictable success of foreign language content on streaming platforms.

What brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it:

In 2025, Netflix and other streaming platforms should continue to invest in acquiring and prominently featuring a wide variety of international content, recognizing that films and series from different countries can achieve unexpected popularity with their global subscriber base. They should also refine their recommendation algorithms to effectively connect these diverse offerings with interested viewers, moving beyond solely relying on audience scores as indicators of potential success. Producers of non-English language content should see streaming platforms as valuable avenues for reaching a worldwide audience.

Final Note:

• Core Trend: The Unpredictable Rise of Low-Audience-Score Foreign Content on Streaming Platforms: Foreign language films can unexpectedly become popular on streaming services despite low audience scores.

• Core Strategy: Invest in and promote diverse international content; analyze viewership data beyond audience scores.

• Core Industry Trend: The increasing importance and global reach of non-English language content on streaming platforms.

• Core Consumer Motivation: Discovering international content, openness to subtitles, and interest in diverse storytelling.

• Final Conclusion: The success of "Exterritorial" underscores the evolving landscape of entertainment consumption on streaming services, where the global reach and recommendation algorithms can lead to surprising hits from around the world.

Core Trend Detailed (The Unpredictable Rise of Low-Audience-Score Foreign Content on Streaming Platforms):

• Description: This core trend describes the surprising phenomenon of foreign-language films and series on streaming platforms, such as Netflix, achieving significant popularity and even topping viewership charts despite receiving less favorable ratings from general audiences. This indicates that factors beyond traditional metrics like audience scores, such as algorithmic promotion, cultural curiosity, and the desire for novelty, are playing a crucial role in driving the success of international content in the streaming landscape.

• Key Characteristics of the Trend (summary):

  • Chart-Topping Performance: Foreign content reaching the top of viewership charts on major streaming platforms.

  • Discrepancy in Audience Scores: Low audience ratings (e.g., on platforms like Popcornmeter) despite high viewership.

  • Algorithm-Driven Discovery: Streaming platform recommendation algorithms playing a significant role in exposing viewers to this content.

  • Cultural Curiosity: Viewers being drawn to content from different countries and cultures.

  • Novelty Factor: Audiences seeking entertainment options different from mainstream Hollywood productions.

• Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend (summary):

  • The case of "Exterritorial," a German-English action thriller with a 37% audience score, outperforming Tom Hardy's "Havoc" on Netflix charts.

  • The article mentioning Netflix's success with other non-English language content like "Under Paris," "Ad Vitam," "Counterattack," "Revelations," "The Glass Dome," and "iHostage," indicating a broader pattern.

  • The fact that "Exterritorial" topped a combined English and non-English language chart on FlixPatrol, showcasing its wide appeal.

• How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior (summary):

  • Increased Consumption of Foreign Content: Viewers are becoming more open to watching films and series in languages other than English, often relying on subtitles.

  • Trust in Algorithmic Recommendations: Consumers are increasingly discovering and watching content suggested by streaming platform algorithms, even if it deviates from popular trends or high-scoring titles.

  • Diversification of Entertainment Preferences: Audiences are seeking a wider range of storytelling and cinematic styles beyond traditional Hollywood norms.

• Implications Across the Ecosystem (For Brands and CPGs, For Retailers, For Consumers, summary):

  • For Brands and CPGs: Not directly applicable, but brands could consider partnerships with globally popular international content to reach diverse audiences.

  • For Retailers: Streaming platforms are the primary retailers in this context. They should continue to invest in diverse international content and refine their recommendation algorithms to surface these titles effectively.

  • For Consumers: Benefit from a richer and more diverse selection of entertainment options from around the world, potentially discovering hidden gems they might have otherwise missed.

• Strategic Forecast: This trend is likely to continue and even accelerate as streaming platforms increasingly invest in global content libraries and their algorithms become more sophisticated at matching viewers with diverse programming. We can expect more unexpected hits from international productions to emerge and capture audience attention worldwide.

• Final Thought: The unpredictable success of low-audience-score foreign content on streaming platforms highlights the evolving dynamics of global entertainment consumption, where algorithms and cultural curiosity can propel unexpected titles to the forefront, showcasing the rich tapestry of international cinema available to a worldwide audience.

Source: https://www.cbr.com/netflix-action-thriller-exterritorial-beats-havoc-charts/