Don Cheadle, known for his extensive career spanning over four decades and roles in major franchises like the MCU and Ocean‘s trilogy, is seeing renewed attention for a lesser-known disaster film from the late 1990s. The 1997 movie, Volcano, is unexpectedly gaining popularity on streaming platforms in 2025, highlighting Don Cheadle’s forgotten disaster movie streaming success.
The Unexpected Streaming Popularity of “Volcano” in 2025
Volcano, directed by Mick Jackson and starring Tommy Lee Jones, has emerged as one of the ten most-streamed movies on Tubi in the United States. It holds the ninth position on the platform’s current most-watched list. Among other titles in the top 10 are classics like Lethal Weapon at number 10, Steel Magnolias starring Julia Roberts and Dolly Parton at number 8, and Kevin Costner’s Waterworld sitting at number 5. The streaming chart also features films like Lethal Weapon 3, the animated movie Robots, the 2014 Annie remake, The Tax Collector, Meg 2: The Trench starring Jason Statham, and the 2017 hit Girls Trip at number one.
For those unfamiliar with the plot of Volcano, the story revolves around a catastrophic geological disaster in Los Angeles.
“When a massive earthquake rocks the city of Los Angeles, Emergency Management department head Mike Roark (Tommy Lee Jones) returns from his vacation to help with the city’s response. After geologist Dr. Amy Barnes (Anne Heche) warns that a volcano may be forming in sewer tunnels, another severe earthquake unleashes the lava flowing underfoot, threatening to destroy the whole city. As the fiery molten rock runs through the streets, Roark and Barnes must figure out how to divert it.”
—Mick Jackson, Director
Initial Reception: A Financial and Critical Flop
Despite its current streaming resurgence, Volcano was both a box office and critical disappointment upon release. With a production budget of approximately $90 million, the film’s worldwide gross of $120 million was only modestly profitable and failed to meet expectations for a major disaster movie. Critics were largely unimpressed, reflected in a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 49%, while general audiences rated it even lower at 32%. One notable review summarized the film by stating,
“Volcano’s prodigious pyrotechnics and Tommy Lee Jones’ crotchety sneers at lava aren’t quite enough to save this routine disaster film.”
—Rotten Tomatoes Critics
Volcano’s lackluster reception, however, has not prevented it from finding a new audience nearly thirty years later, as streaming viewers appear to be more receptive to its blend of natural disaster thrills and star performances. The film is currently accessible for streaming on Tubi, inviting viewers to reconsider this underappreciated entry in the disaster genre.
Key Performances from a Memorable Cast
The film’s cast includes Tommy Lee Jones as Mike Roark, the Emergency Management leader tasked with saving Los Angeles from lava destruction. Anne Heche co-stars as Dr. Amy Barnes, the geologist who first identifies the volcanic threat. Don Cheadle appears in a supporting role, contributing to the ensemble that also features Gaby Hoffman. Despite the film’s initial failure, the performances remain a highlight and provide a solid foundation for the movie’s current rediscovery.
Why “Volcano” Matters Today
The renewed interest in Volcano underscores how the streaming era allows films that were once dismissed to gain fresh appreciation. Don Cheadle’s forgotten disaster movie streaming success illustrates that audiences can revisit and reevaluate movies with new perspectives, especially those with notable casts and compelling premises. Given the intense and high-stakes nature of the plot and the star power involved, Volcano’s presence on streaming platforms offers a reminder of the 1990s disaster genre’s spectacle and storytelling style.
As streaming trends continue to evolve, it is likely other overlooked films starring major actors like Don Cheadle may also experience similar revivals, providing opportunities for deeper exploration of cinema’s past hits and misses alike.
