Ben Affleck’s 2003 sci-fi movie Paycheck is attracting fresh attention on Netflix, more than two decades after its original release. The film, originally forgotten by many, has surged to become a streaming hit worldwide, as Affleck enjoys renewed acclaim from both his older projects and his latest work, The Accountant 2, which recently grossed $101 million at the global box office and is proving popular on streaming platforms as well.
Affleck’s recent successes in Hollywood, such as The Accountant 2, follow a career heavily weighed toward thrillers and dramas, with less frequent ventures into science fiction. Now, Paycheck is being rediscovered as the Ben Affleck 2003 sci-fi movie trending on Netflix, bringing renewed interest to one of his more unusual roles, alongside his acclaimed projects like The Town, Argo, and Triple Frontier.
Paycheck’s Journey from Cinemas to Streaming Fame
Back in 2003, Ben Affleck was at the center of a hectic year, appearing in three films released in theaters. Among these was Paycheck, a near-future thriller directed by legendary action filmmaker John Woo. The story follows Affleck as a reverse engineer who undertakes secret assignments for technology firms, only to have his memory wiped clean after every job. When he completes particularly sensitive work related to government technology, he awakens from his memory erasure to discover he is being hunted, with no recollection as to why.
Interestingly, Matt Damon—Affleck’s long-time friend and frequent collaborator—was originally offered the lead part but declined because he had just portrayed an amnesiac in The Bourne Identity. Despite this, Affleck took on the role, bringing his own energy to the labyrinthine storyline.
Originally, Paycheck saw moderate box office numbers, taking in $117 million across theaters after its initial release. While the film faded from the mainstream, it is now climbing the Netflix charts globally. According to Flixpatrol, Paycheck is currently holding the number five spot on Netflix’s worldwide self-reported top ten movies.
Reassessing Paycheck: Hollywood Careers and Sci-Fi Thrills
For Affleck, 2003 was a mixed year, featuring some of his more notorious failures such as Gigli and Daredevil. In hindsight, Paycheck’s modest success stands out as the highlight of his output that year. The John Woo-directed film has aged better than some of Affleck’s other projects from that period, drawing new viewers on Netflix and giving the film a welcomed second opportunity to impress audiences.
Affleck has rarely returned to science fiction, focusing instead on dramatic and thriller roles throughout his career. Some speculate that Paycheck’s lukewarm critical reception and only moderate box office performance—holding a 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes—may have influenced Affleck’s decision to steer clear of science fiction. It’s also noted that perhaps Affleck simply found greater success in genres better suited to his strengths.
Despite the actor’s stature in the industry and works like Good Will Hunting and Argo, not every project has been well-received. In fact, he weathered the challenges of starring in three poorly received movies in a single year without derailing his career.
Based on a short story by iconic sci-fi author Philip K. Dick—whose works inspired films like Total Recall and Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report—Paycheck might have been expected to achieve greater acclaim. Critics, however, have pointed to John Woo’s signature action sequences as a mismatch for the material, suggesting his stylistic choices did not align with the paranoid science fiction premise.
Soon after finishing Paycheck, John Woo departed Hollywood, not returning to American cinemas until 2023. Affleck, on the other hand, maintained his presence in Hollywood but largely pivoted to thrillers and dramas. While Paycheck may not have fulfilled all expectations upon its 2003 premiere, new generations of Netflix subscribers in 2025 are now appreciating its unique blend of action and suspense.
The Ongoing Impact of Paycheck’s Resurgence
The recent rise of Paycheck among Netflix’s most-watched titles highlights a continued appetite for sci-fi thrillers that blend high-concept ideas with energetic action. As new viewers discover the film, Paycheck’s second life demonstrates the staying power of Ben Affleck’s diverse filmography, as well as the cyclical nature of media rediscovery in the streaming era. With a screenplay inspired by one of Philip K. Dick’s compelling stories and a notable cast, Paycheck stands as a reminder that Hollywood projects sometimes find their most appreciative audiences long after their initial release.
With Affleck’s established reputation and director John Woo’s signature cinematic style, the renewed attention on Paycheck illustrates how films with earlier mixed receptions can be re-evaluated and celebrated by contemporary audiences. As the Ben Affleck 2003 sci-fi movie trending on Netflix, Paycheck’s resurgence adds an intriguing chapter to both Affleck’s and Woo’s legacies, inviting fresh discussion among movie enthusiasts and critics alike.
