More than seven years after it was released in theaters, Doctor Sleep is finally having a resurgence on streaming.
In the days leading up to Halloween, Mike Flanagan‘s underrated horror thriller has begun to climb the viewership charts on HBO Max. According to FlixPatrol, the film is now No. 1 on the streamer’s global chart, overtaking Mother Mary in the process.
The film is based on Stephen King‘s popular novel of the same name, which is a sequel to his formative horror classic, The Shining. The story follows an older version of Danny Torrance, whom audiences will recognize as Jack Nicholson‘s son from the original film, as he encounters another young child with his psychic powers.
The film stars Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Emily Alyn Lind, and Jacob Tremblay, and is directed by Mike Flanagan from his own screenplay. Despite a positive reception from critics, however, the film failed to leave a dent at the box office and is now regarded as one of Flanagan’s more disappointing outings.
Against a budget of roughly $45 million, Doctor Sleep turned over just $72 million at the worldwide box office. With distribution and marketing costs accounted for, this meant the film failed to turn a profit for Warner Bros. Pictures. Admittedly, Doctor Sleep faced tough competition at the box office, facing off against Terminator: Dark Fate and Last Christmas.
Despite its poor commercial performance, Doctor Sleep was still largely respected by critics and admired by Stephen King fans. The film currently holds a score of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a critical consensus that reads: “Doctor Sleep forsakes the elemental terror of its predecessor for a more contemplative sequel that balances poignant themes against spine-tingling chills.”
In a positive review, RogerEbert.com wrote: “Flanagan was tasked with making a sequel to a film that stays loyal to a book that ignores the changes made in the first movie. That ain’t easy… And while one can sometimes feel Flanagan struggling to satisfy both King and Kubrick fans when he really should be trusting his own vision, he’s talented enough to pull off this difficult blend of legacies.”
Doctor Sleep is now available to stream on FuvoTV and Paramount+ in the United States.
