Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge didn’t get much fanfare in the UK at least – but it’s proven a sizeable hit for Apple TV+.
A week or so ago, Maria took a look at the new movie from director Scott Derrickson and writer C Robert Cargill, The Gorge. Derrickson and Cargill are an effective pair, having collaborated on films such as The Black Phone, Sinister and Doctor Strange, among others. They’ve been working on The Black Phone 2 as well, but snuck The Gorge in first.
It debuted last week on Apple TV+, and in the UK at least, to barely any fanfare. Publicity seemed light, the press tour never made it this far, and it seemed like it was dropped onto streaming and left to be.
As Maria found, though the film itself is a real treat. It’s a shame that, ahead of the release of Wolfs, Apple backtracked on its plan to put films in cinemas. The Gorge may or may not have been planned for a cinema release, but it certainly deserved one.
Read more: The Gorge is an excellent horror thriller, but does anyone know it’s coming out?
The consolation prize, though, is just what a success it’s been for Apple’s streaming service. News reaches us that The Gorge has become the biggest ever movie launch on Apple TV+. When you consider that movie star vehicle Wolfs – with Brad Pitt and George Clooney – launched earlier this year, along with Doug Liman’s The Instigators, it’s not as if there’s not been competition.
Apple isn’t giving away exact numbers, and nor will it in a hurry. Still, it’s a clear success story for the streamer, a movie that it picked up as part of its arrangement with Skydance. Skydance, of course, is in the midst of acquiring Paramount Pictures, so how long such a deal holds remains to be seen.
For the minute though, The Gorge is a very welcome and impressive slice of horror, action and romance, and exclusive to Apple TV+.
