Margot Robbie-Starring 2016 Flop Becomes a Surprising Hit on Netflix

Summary

• Margot Robbie 's popularity continues to grow, especially after the success of Barbie.
• As such, even the failed The Legend of Tarzan reached the top of Netflix.
• All this shows the audience's love for the actress, regardless of the role.

Margot Robbie is one of the most celebrated actresses in modern Hollywood. Having risen to fame thanks to The Wolf of Wall Street and Suicide Squad, her career peaked last year with Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach's Barbie, in which Robbie not only starred, but actively contributed, effectively delivering a feminist story about finding one's identity and pushing one's boundaries.

However, the actress' career has had its fair share of not-so-successful projects that have been panned by critics and audiences alike. One of them is 2016's The Legend of Tarzan, which is one of the most disastrous films of Margot Robbie's career.

Nevertheless, her performance as Jane was highly praised, and with the film's release on Netflix on January 18, 2024, viewers began to reevaluate the film. In addition, The Legend of Tarzan topped the US chart just one day after its release.

The Critically Panned Film Is Now Available on Netflix

The Legend of Tarzan was directed by David Yates and features an incredibly star-studded cast consisting of Alexander Skarsgård in the title role, Margot Robbie as Jane, Christoph Waltz as Captain Leon Rom and Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington Williams.

Yates' attempt to bring a beloved book character to the big screen was far from successful, despite a rather original idea: the story of Tarzan, already accustomed to human society, who decides to return to Africa and fight against Belgian colonial rule and slave trade.

The Movie Has Topped the US Chart

The Legend of Tarzan was released on the streaming service on January 18, and one day after its release, it became the most watched movie among American audiences. According to data from What's on Netflix, The Legend of Tarzan has been at the top of the US top 10 movies since January 19 and continues to hold it today, ahead of new Netflix movies The Hill and Lift, as well as The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Despite the Movie's Failure, Margot Robbie's Performance Was Highly Praised

At the time of its release, the movie managed to collect $356.7 million at the worldwide box office. Unfortunately, the earnings were not enough to cover all the expenses, as the budget was $180 million and for The Legend of Tarzan to pay off it was necessary to collect at least $400 million.

In turn, critics and audiences alike have been incredibly scathing, with the former's score at a measly 35% on Rotten Tomatoes, due to the plot's failure to deliver a truly interesting and original outlook on the iconic franchise, and a clunky political take on the story that would have worked well had it not been for the typical trope of a white savior.

The audience score was only slightly higher, at 58%. However, with the film's release on Netflix, audiences began to leave much warmer reviews: recognizing the escapist nature of The Legend of Tarzan, many noted the appropriateness of the gritty tone, the excellent CGI, and the incomparable dynamic between Tarzan and Jane.

Moreover, it was Margot Robbie's character that proved to be one of the main highlights of the film, redefining Jane as a strong-willed female character who didn't just appear as Tarzan's love interest, but who got character development and even her own small but exciting adventure.

While Margot Robbie has a track record of less commercially successful and critically acclaimed films, it's hard to deny her talent no matter what role she takes on. So the sudden popularity of The Legend of Tarzan on Netflix is definitely due in large part to the actress, whose acting fame is only growing after the success of Barbie.