Streaming might have revolutionized the way we consume film, but it hasn’t revolutionized failure. Whether you bomb a movie in theaters or quietly post it on a platform at midnight, a flop remains a flop. And in 2025, the streaming universe had its share of costly misfires, ill-fated experiments, and head-scratching creative decisions. From lost franchise reboots to pseudo-prestige thrillers that nobody actually saw, these are the 10 worst streaming movie bombs of 2025, listed from “meh” to “oh no.”
10. Hulu’s Control Freak
Horror tends to find its audience, but Control Freak wasn’t able to scare up any. The concept, a therapist manipulating her clients in more and more grotesque ways, read like a good streaming hit in theory. In practice? It struggled with critics, flopped with viewers (a dismal 4.6 on IMDb), and didn’t register on any of the major viewing charts. Hulu’s horror strategy is still “throw everything at the wall.” Sadly, this one slipped off.
9. Disney+’s Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical
Not even Frozen is safe from streaming fatigue. Disney’s live recording of its Broadway production was supposed to be a family-friendly hit, but it struggled to make Nielsen’s top ten, attracting a chilly 2.7 million hours in week two. For a billion-dollar brand, that’s effectively an invisibility act. The verdict? Some magic doesn’t make the small screen.
8. Apple TV+’s Echo Valley
Apple had Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney lined up for Echo Valley, a psychological thriller thick with talent and budget. But viewers didn’t take the bait. It failed Nielsen and Samba TV charts completely, coming in below 5 million viewing hours. The film’s low-key release and subdued word-of-mouth closed the sale. For Apple TV+, still looking for its first genuine blockbuster, Echo Valley was another slick misfire.
7. Peacock’s Eurovision Song Contest 2025
What finds favor in Europe doesn’t necessarily harmonize stateside. Peacock’s sole U.S. stream of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 flopped with American audiences, who mostly tuned out the campy contest. Even though it was a global pop culture phenomenon, it didn’t register on any significant charts. Having no U.S. performer or marketing angle, Peacock’s grand global play struck a sour note.
6. Paramount+’s Star Trek: Section 31
Star Trek enthusiasts are famous for their commitment, but why even the most die-hard Trekkies couldn’t bond with Section 31, no one can say. This spin-off movie appeared pricey and celebrity-studded but barely scraped 2.8 million hours in its opening week. Feedback was lukewarm to savage, complaining of a confusing plot and dull pacing. When working with a legendary franchise, nothing but greatness reigns, and everyone saw that Section 31 just failed to warp out of the blocks.
5. Hulu’s Predator: Killer of Killers
Yet another franchise reboot, another Hulu failure. Predator: Killer of Killers had the potential to be a pleasant mid-budget action hit, but it imploded almost instantly, registering only 3 million hours in its first week. Critics characterized it as “forgettable,” fans as “unnecessary,” and Hulu shut up shop. The Predator is worth more, and so are audiences.
4. Disney+’s Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip
This follow-up to the 2014 family comedy hit Disney+ with a whimper, and barely anyone was watching. Critics labeled it one of the last survivors of Disney’s “straight-to-streaming” era, contending it would’ve been much better off in theaters. Without the communal experience of a night out as a family, Road Trip stalled before it ever hit the road.
3. Peacock’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Here’s the gut-wrencher: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy made overseas at $130 million on a $50 million budget. But when it was released only on Peacock in the United States, it vanished quicker than a terrible first date. With just 5 million viewing hours before it also vanished off the charts, it’s evidence that even rom-com royalty requires a theatrical push. Universal should have known better.
2. Apple TV+’s Fountain of Youth
Apple’s splashy $180 million gamble on Fountain of Youth became a cautionary tale. With a dream cast, John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, and Eiza González, it couldn’t even make 5.8 million hours on Nielsen. Critics didn’t care, and audiences didn’t either. It’s the sort of money faceplant that makes studio accountants sweat cold.
1. The Big Picture: The Streaming Flop Problem
What do all these titles share in common? They bypassed theaters and cultural resonance in the process. Numbers time and time again demonstrate that theatrical releases fare better after they arrive on streaming. You can’t purchase hype or box-office buzz, and without that glimmer, even gigantic IPs drown quickly.
2025 made one thing absolutely clear: you can toss stars, budgets, and branding at a movie all day long, but if it opens day-and-date to streaming, it’s already battling against the odds. The streaming blockbuster era may just be over, and Hollywood is only now beginning to realize it. it