The Stephen King Doctor Sleep sequel is attracting renewed attention internationally, as viewers across several countries are pushing the film up VOD streaming charts. Even though the movie is not available for streaming in America, it has managed to secure spots in the top 10 rankings for video-on-demand platforms in areas such as Mauritania and Brazil, demonstrating lasting global interest in the Stephen King universe.
Doctor Sleep stars Ewan McGregor as an adult Dan Torrance and Rebecca Ferguson as the menacing Rose the Hat, both engaging in a tense battle where Torrance must defend a young girl from Rose’s cult. The movie, based on Stephen King’s 2013 novel and directed by Mike Flanagan, directly follows the events of The Shining—one of Jack Nicholson’s defining roles—which premiered in 1980 and went on to become a celebrated cult classic. Although The Shining initially had modest box office success, grossing $50 million against its $19 million budget, its legacy has endured for decades.
Strong Reviews but Modest Box Office for the Sequel
Upon its 2019 release, Doctor Sleep received positive recognition from both critics and audiences, garnering a 78% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 89% approval on Popcornmeter. However, the film struggled to make a strong impact at the box office, with worldwide earnings of $72 million against a production budget of $45 million. Despite the underwhelming initial financial return, the film’s reputation has grown, fueling its resurgence on international streaming charts.
Director Mike Flanagan is no stranger to adapting Stephen King’s stories for the screen. After Doctor Sleep, he directed The Life of Chuck, another King adaptation that, like Doctor Sleep, received excellent critical praise but relatively slow box office momentum. The Life of Chuck has since become available to stream on Hulu, where it has found a receptive audience as 2025 approaches.
Rebecca Ferguson’s Expanding Career Beyond Doctor Sleep
Rebecca Ferguson, who portrayed Rose the Hat, is staying in the spotlight with a slate of high-profile roles. In less than two weeks, she is set to co-star with Chris Pratt in the AI-driven sci-fi film Mercy, which will debut in theaters on January 23. Ferguson is also expected to reprise her role as Juliette Nichols in the third season of Silo on Apple TV, with a fourth season already greenlit before the third even airs. Her busy schedule continues into 2026, when she appears first in The Immortal Man—the Peaky Blinders spin-off movie led by Cillian Murphy and set for a March 20 release on Netflix—followed by a return to the Dune franchise as Lady Jessica in Dune: Part Three, arriving on December 18.
What’s Ahead for Doctor Sleep and Its Cast
Though Doctor Sleep is not streaming in the U.S. at this time, interest remains high as global VOD charts reflect a growing audience for the Stephen King Doctor Sleep sequel. As new viewers rediscover the film, the performances of Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance and Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat continue to resonate. With Mike Flanagan’s reputation for adapting King’s works and the film’s international success, there is potential for continued attention to both the movie and its talented cast. Fans eager to revisit Doctor Sleep or see more of its stars can look forward to Ferguson’s upcoming projects and keep an eye on international streaming platforms for availability.
