This Gem of a Monster Movie Bombed at the Box Office & We Don’t Talk About It Enough (It’s Streaming for Free)

October 22, 2025, 6:30pm

One of the difficult truths about movies is that sometimes, great movies don’t always fare well at the box office. Movie history is full of films that scored well with critics and even sat well with audiences, but just didn’t have people flocking to the theaters. Sometimes, those films go on to be cult favorites or find their success on streaming, and then there are others that remain slept on. Those are the films we just don’t talk about enough, and one of them, a real gem of a monster movie, deserves to have its moment. And it just so happens to be streaming for free right now.

Videos by ComicBook.com

While the idea of Anne Hathaway starring in a monster movie might seem a little out there, we promise you it’s not. In 2016, Hathaway starred in Colossal, a film that blends multiple genres to deliver a sci-fi comedy that just so happens to also feature a kaiju. The film was a box office failure, bringing in just $4.5 million globally against a production budget of $15 million, but was a critical hit. Now, everyone who didn’t see it when it was in theaters can catch it streaming on Tubi.

Colossal Is a Unique Take on a Kaiju Movie (And May Be Hathaway’s Most Original Film)

Colossal follows Gloria (Hathaway), an unemployed writer who is struggling with alcoholism. Her boyfriend, Tim (Dan Stevens), breaks up with her and kicks her out, forcing her to move back to her New Hampshire hometown. There, she reconnects with childhood friend, Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), who gives her a job at a bar that lets her further her drinking. At the same time, a giant monster appears in Seoul, South Korea, terrorizing residents, and Gloria slowly starts to realize that she might be connected to the mysterious monster — and that Oscar may have darker intentions.

Colossal may have a bizarre premise, but it’s a fantastic film, anchored largely by its performances. Hathway is particularly excellent as Gloria, who not only has to come to grips with the fact that she’s able to manifest and control a giant kaiju, but also must examine the impact her alcoholism is having on her life. Sudeikis is also a standout in what might be one of his best performances ever as a guy who, on the surface, seems like a “nice guy” but is actually a darker part of what Gloria has to confront in her own life.

There are also the film’s larger themes that make it a real gem of a watch. While Colossal frames itself as a kaiju monster film, it’s actually more a character study of Gloria. In a very real way, the monster she manifests is a large-scale personification of her own personal and professional failures, and the film uses this to explore the idea of addiction and recovery as well as the idea of growth and finding one’s true self. And, of course, there’s plenty of city-smashing destruction as one would expect in a monster movie. It’s weird, but there really is something for everyone here.

With its multiple themes and layers, Colossal is a movie that audiences may have missed at the theaters in 2017 but really shouldn’t miss out on now. It’s perfect for sci-fi fans who enjoy some great kaiju action, but it’s also great for drama fans looking to explore some of the more complicated aspects of the human condition. The acting is top-notch notch and it’s unlike anything else out there. You don’t want to miss it.

Colossal is streaming for free on Tubi.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!