The Scarlett Johansson Film That Flopped at the Box Office but Became a Cult Favourite Is Leaving Netflix

Scarlett Johansson's sci‑fi thriller 'Under the Skin,' which flopped at the box office before building a cult following, is set to leave Netflix on 31 October, just as a fresh wave of viewers appears to be discovering it more than a decade after its difficult cinema run.

The departure date comes from listings for the US service, and Netflix has not commented publicly. Availability on Netflix in other territories, including the UK, has not been confirmed.

The film recently reached No 10 on Moviefone's Netflix chart, according to the entertainment website. Netflix has not published viewing figures for the title, so the scale of any revival cannot be independently confirmed.

It is not the film's first departure from the service. In 2020, it was listed among the titles scheduled to leave Netflix on 11 July.

From Box Office Misfire to Cult Discovery

Directed by Jonathan Glazer and released by A24, 'Under the Skin' is adapted from Michel Faber's 2000 novel. Although it is often associated with its 2014 cinema release, it premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September 2013, before opening in UK cinemas on 14 March 2014.

It took less than $10m (about £7.5m and €8.8m) worldwide, against a reported budget of about $13m (roughly £10m and €11.4m). It also opened in the US on the same weekend as 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier', in which Johansson also starred. That film took more than $95m (about £71m and €83.5m) in North America in its opening weekend.

Johansson plays an unnamed alien who takes the form of a woman and drives around Scotland, picking up lone men. Her victims follow her into a black void, where they sink beneath the surface. As she spends more time among humans, she becomes increasingly absorbed by human life.

Critics and audiences remain divided. At the time of writing, Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an 84 per cent critics' score and a 55 per cent audience score. Reviewers praised Glazer's formal control and Johansson's largely wordless performance, while many viewers found the plot opaque, the dialogue sparse and the pacing slow.

Much of the exchange between Johansson's character and the men she approaches was reportedly filmed with hidden cameras and non‑professional performers, giving those scenes a documentary‑like feel.

How Streaming Revived 'Under the Skin'

Its slow, ambiguous style may have counted against it in cinemas, but streaming allows viewers to find it on their own terms. Films that underperform on release often gain new audiences years later through recommendations and platform algorithms, and 'Under the Skin' appears to fit that pattern.

The timing may also be significant. Its removal falls on Halloween, making it an unconventional horror option for viewers wanting unease rather than jump scares.

Where To Watch 'Under the Skin' Next

Streaming rights are normally governed by fixed‑term licensing deals. Netflix has not explained the departure, but the removal is consistent with a licence reaching its end.

In the UK, the film is currently available to stream through Studiocanal Presents and the Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel, according to the JustWatch guide, which also lists rental and purchase options.

After 31 October, the film is also expected to appear on free, ad‑supported services including Tubi, Pluto TV and Plex, though availability varies by territory. A film that once struggled to attract cinema audiences would then be reaching viewers largely free of charge.