A revisionist Western movie from 1995 just became one of the top ten most-watched movies on Netflix around the world, 30 years after its original release. Viewing trends on Netflix often include some surprises, and this week is no exception. While new projects such as Squid Game season 3, The Sandman season 2, The Old Guard 2, and The Waterfront make sense in these top ten lists, there’s one movie that became the seventh-most-watched movie on Netflix around the world this week that nobody saw coming.
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The Quick and the Dead originally hit theaters in February 1995, directed by Sam Raimi and including a cast boasting the likes of Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman, and a young Leonardo DiCaprio. According to FlixPatrol, The Quick and Dead became the seventh-most-watched movie on Netflix globally in the week on July 9, 2025, despite not being available to watch on Netflix in the United States. The reason for The Quick and the Dead’s resurgence on Netflix is unclear, but it’s great to see this underrated Sam Raimi Western revenge flick getting the attention it deserves.
The Quick and the Dead saw a mysterious gunslinger known as The Lady (Stone) arrive in the Old West town of Redemption to seek revenge on John Herod (Hackman), a former gang member and the town’s ruthless leader, who killed her father, the town’s former Marshal, to assume control. To seek vengeance, The Lady enters a single-elimination shooting tournament with other skilled gunslingers, including Cort (Crowe) and Herod’s son, The Kid (DiCaprio), using them for her plan for revenge. Fans of nontraditional Westerns will appreciate The Quick and the Dead for its originality and entertaining narrative.
While the movie received a mixed response following its release in 1995, The Quick and the Dead has received more praise in the years since. Fans of Sam Raimi consider it one of his best movies, among the likes of the Spider-Man trilogy, the Evil Dead trilogy, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, among others. The subversive female lead has come to be a mark of progression in the film industry, as this was rare in the ’90s, while the movie has also received praise for its stylish cinematography, with some camera shots being unlike anything seen before.
These qualities could have contributed to a rise in interest for The Quick and the Dead around the world. The movie has become a cult classic in the three decades since its release, though given its lackluster 60% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s still a surprise this Sam Raimi movie has been performing so well. The Quick and the Dead isn’t currently available on Netflix in the United States, but can be caught on Rakuten TV or Fandango.
What do you make of The Quick and the Dead’s resurgence on Netflix around the world? Let us know in the comments!
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