Green Book Becomes a Global Streaming Hit 8 Years Later

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The award-winning 2018 film Green Book, starring Mahershala Ali, is now one of the most popular movies on streaming platforms. After a successful run in theaters and winning several Academy Awards eight years ago, it’s become a streaming hit.

Data from FlixPatrol shows that Green Book is a very popular movie on Netflix. It became the third most-watched film in the U.S. on May 1st, right after the premieres of Swapped and Apex. Green Book stayed at number three for three days before moving down to number four on May 5th.

Green Book Was a Massive Hit in 2018

The movie Green Book has found success on streaming platforms eight years after it first came out in 2018. It’s based on a real story and follows Frank, an Italian-American bouncer, who becomes the driver for Don Shirley, a celebrated Black pianist, during his 1960s tour of the South. Despite coming from very different backgrounds, Frank and Don develop an unexpected friendship during their journey.

When it was first released, Green Book was a huge hit. Made with a budget of just $23 million, the film went on to earn over $321 million worldwide. This impressive return – more than thirteen times its budget – led to three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali. Viggo Mortensen was also nominated for Best Actor, but did not win.

Green Book’s Legacy is Complicated

The 2018 film Green Book received widespread praise and strong scores from critics – 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.2/10 on IMDb. While it was a heartwarming and commercially successful movie, its impact is more complex than its awards and box office numbers suggest, leaving behind a somewhat complicated legacy.

While Green Book is widely known, some critics have noted that its story feels overly simple considering the complex topic of racial segregation it tackles. After the film came out, the family of Don Shirley also voiced concerns, arguing that the movie didn’t accurately portray him and instead focused too much on Tony Lip, particularly as the screenplay was co-written by Lip’s son.

Despite the ongoing debate around it, Green Book is proving to be incredibly popular on streaming services, even years after it first came out. It’s possible the film’s reputation could eventually improve.

Green Book is available to stream on Netflix.

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2026-05-06 02:12