A newPrime Videoscience fiction movie is performing well on streaming in spite of receiving poor scores from audiences. Prime Video is the subscription streaming service operated by Amazon that is best known for television series includingThe Boys,Reacher, andThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
However, there are also a number of originalPrime Video movies. Some oftheir most notable recent streaming titles include the John Cena and Idris Elba action comedyHeads of State, the thriller sequelAnother Simple Favor, and the Tyler Perry dramaDivorce in the Black.
War Of The Worlds Is Conquering Streaming
2025’sWar of the Worldshas become a streaming hitduring its debut week. The new Prime Video original movie, which stars Ice Cube, Eva Longoria, Iman Benson, Andrea Savage, Devon Bostick, and Clark Gregg, is an adaptation of the iconic 1898 sci-fi novel of the same name by H. G. Wells.
The novel has previously been adapted multiple times, including as a 2005Steven Spielberg moviestarring Tom Cruise, a George Pal-produced movie in 1953, andan Orson Welles-directed radio drama in 1938 that famously used a “breaking news” style formatwhich caused a panic when some listeners believed that aliens were really invading.
The 2025 movie draws inspiration from the Welles version,taking on a screenlife format to underscore its added themes about the aliens consuming data. However, it has not won over audiences. It has a 10% Popcornmeter score onRotten Tomatoesand 2.2 out of 5 on Prime Video’s own interface, thanks to 48% of its reviews giving it one star.
After debuting on the platform on July 30,War of the Worldsinstantly leaped to No. 1 onPrime Video’s daily chartof their most-watched movies worldwide. It first appeared on the chart on July 31 and has continued to hold the top position for three consecutive days, through the time of writing.
As of Friday,War of the Worldswas alsoNo. 2 on Prime Video’s overall chart in the United States, behind only their young adult romance seriesThe Summer I Turned Pretty, which is currently in the middle of airing season 3.
What This Means For War Of The Worlds
Ultimately, the success ofWar of the Worldswill likely be determined by its longevity. Thescience fiction moviemay be getting an initial boost because newPrime Videooriginals are given pride of place on the streaming service’s homepage, but if audiences continue to react this negatively to it, it may not remain on the chart for long.
