Jenna Ortega has quickly risen to become one of the biggest stars of her generation, and it’s not that surprising with her filmography that includes roles in Netflix’s Wednesday and major horror hits like Scream and X. But there have been a few bumps in the road along the actress’ transition from a child star in Disney’s Stuck in the Middle to global stardom, including dark fantasy movie that had a disastrous box office run but is now topping HBO Max’s streaming chart.
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A24’s Death of a Unicorn was one of 2025’s earliest box office disappointments. The movie was initially projected to gross $7-8 million in its opening weekend but only returned around $5 million, and it ended its theatrical run with just a $15 million haul against its $16 million budget. Streaming is working its magic on Alex Scharfman’s dark fantasy comedy horror movie, though, as Death of a Unicorn is currently the No. 3 film streaming on HBO Max worldwide, only falling behind One Battle After Another and Sinners. The movie stars Ortega and Paul Rudd as a father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss attempts to exploit the creature’s regenerative powers.
Jenna Ortega’s Death of a Unicorn’s HBO Max Success Isn’t a Surprise
Death of a Unicorn didn’t just underperform at the box office, it was also a critical flop. The movie received mixed reviews from critics and only holds a rotten 52% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Ortega’s eighth-lowest-rated movie. The movie was described by Peliplat’s Nicolás Medina as “a tiresome trot through a forest of half-chewed ideas that neither shocks nor entertains,” and by Screen-Space’s Simon Foster as “a fantasy-horror-comedy that sharpens its horn on greedy big-business ethics – but…can’t nail the landing.” But the movie is far from the first major flop to find success on streaming, and its success really isn’t all that surprising.
When you sift through all of the critical panning of the movie’s poor CGI, stereotypical characterizations, and predictable plot, Death of a Unicorn really has a lot to draw viewers in. The movie boasts a high-profile pairing that teams Gen Z’s “scream queen” with a well-known comedic lead in Rudd, who both deliver great performances and have great screen chemistry. The movie also boasts the A24 brand, a studio that has quickly become known for producing high-quality, buzzworthy indie films, and plays into the niche dark satire-horror blend, which has a proven streaming success record.
Death of a Unicorn was also more favorably seen by general audiences and holds a much higher 76% audience rating, one of Ortega’s best. While the movie does have its flaws, it’s generally a pretty solid and fun campy creature feature that has plenty of gore and a biting eat-the-rich satire.
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