Meg 2: The Trench may be the more popular shark movie released in 2023, but low-budget effort The Black Demon is finding ways to be successful in its own right. Released back in theaters back in April, The Black Demon earned just under $3 million in its short theatrical run and has been met with abysmal reviews from critics. It’s arrival on streaming, however, as changed things for the film, to the point that sequels are even being discussed.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The Black Demon made its way to Amazon’s Prime Video service on August 22nd. Following its streaming debut, the film spent an entire week in the number one spot of Prime Video’s Top 10 rankings in the United States, beating out buzzy titles like Cocaine Bear, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves, and the second season of Amazon’s original hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty.
With a budget of under $10 million, The Black Demon is proving itself a major success in the world of streaming. The great viewership not only highlights the excitement for shark-themed horror movies, but it also shows how much people want to see Latino stories on-screen. The Black Demon‘s story has deep ties to Central American lore, as well as a predominantly Latino cast and crew.
“No one has ever seen a genre shark movie with a Latino bent,” producer Javier Chapa told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview. “That’s where we saw the opportunity, given our company’s ethos is all about really supporting people of color on both sides of the camera — but also filling a highly underserved need in our community.”
The Black Demon is directed by Get the Gringo and Rambo: Last Blood filmmaker Adrian Grunberg, and features a cast led by Josh Lucas, Fernanda Urrejola, and Julio Cedillo. It was picked up for distribution by Amazon back in 2021. After theatrical, on-demand, and physical releases, The Black Demon finally made its way to streaming, where it has found the most success.
“These are movies and shows with a lot of resources behind them,” producer Jon Silk said of the other films that surround The Black Demon in Prime Video’s Top 10 rankings. “It’s special to see this movie get people’s attention like this.”
According to the producers, a sequel is now being discussed, though talks with actors and writers can’t happen until the strikes have come to an end.
“That the Latino community doesn’t get a lot of support on films, it’s shocking to me. They are the most aggressive moviegoing audience, more than any other cohort,” said Chupa. “And to me, it’s the million-dollar question: why aren’t more people making films that are universal but are by and for that community?”
The Black Demon is now available to stream on Prime Video.
