2024 Biopic Movie That Only Made $422,329 At The Box Office Becomes Netflix Global Hit

Biopic movies have always been a go-to genre for those seeking gripping real-life stories, and Netflix has leaned heavily into this trend of true-story films. The streaming platform boasts well-acclaimed biographical films like Dumb Money (2023), which chronicles the Redditor behind the GameStop stock surge, and Scoop (2024), based on the journalists who interviewed Prince Andrew on his relationship with Jeffery Epstein, that have captivated audiences with their compelling narratives delivered in the form of infotainment.




Netflix’s recent biopics to come to streaming, like the British drama film Joy (2024), following the doctors who pioneered the first successful IVF treatment, have been embraced by audiences. The platform’s investment in biographical dramas also reflects a growing trend. Films that struggled in theaters are finding an entirely new audience on the platform, sometimes even outperforming expectations. This shift has allowed lesser-known stories to reach millions of viewers worldwide, offering a second life for films that might have otherwise disappeared below the box office’s red line.


The Rise of Rob Peace On Netflix’s Global Top 10

Netflix Revives The Legacy Of An Overlooked Biographical Drama


This week, Netflix has another unexpected biographical hit on its hands with the 2024 drama Rob Peace. Directed and written by award-winning Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), the new biopic earned only $422,329 during its theatrical run. The film recently surged to the global top 10 on Netflix, currently sitting at spot 10. Based on Jeff Hobbs’ critically acclaimed biography The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, Ejiofor’s adaptation follows the inspiring yet heartbreaking true story of Rob Peace, a Yale graduate from Newark who struggles to reconcile his academic success with his father’s incarceration.

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7 Biggest True Story Changes In Netflix’s Rob Peace Movie

Rob Peace is based on an incredibly moving true story. The Netflix film is mostly true to life, and is based on the book by Peace’s friend Jeff Hobbs.


Introducing Jay Will in the titular role alongside Mary J. Blige and Ejiofor, Rob Peace was a critical success but failed to connect with audiences at the time of its theatrical release on August 16, 2024. Netflix’s platform, however, has breathed new life into the film, introducing it to a worldwide audience and sparking fresh conversations about its poignant themes of race, class, and resilience in the face of oppressive societal structures that leave many of the characters in Rob Peace with just two options: jail or death.

What Rob Peace’s Streaming Success Means

Netflix Can Level the Playing Field For Smaller Films


The resurgence of Rob Peace on Netflix underscores the transformative power of streaming platforms in redefining a film’s success. Alien: Romulus (2024) and the romantic drama It Ends With Us (2024) were two box office hits that might’ve shadowed the arrival of Rob Peace in August. While the movie may have struggled to make an impact in theaters, its arrival on Netflix has allowed it to find a new audience and generate global buzz, boasting a 94% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film’s inclusion in the global Top 10 shows how streaming can amplify a story’s relevance, sparking discussions about systemic inequities and bringing audiences face-to-face with the real struggles of marginalized communities.

Netflix’s ability to surface stories like Rob Peace speaks to its role as a cultural equalizer, giving films that might have been overshadowed by blockbusters a chance to shine. The film’s inclusion in the global Top 10 shows how streaming can amplify a story’s relevance, sparking discussions about systemic inequities and bringing audiences face-to-face with the real struggles of marginalized communities. This success could pave the way for similar films to be greenlit, as Netflix sees its audiences migrating towards authentic, untold stories from underrepresented perspectives.


Source: Netflix, Rotten Tomatoes