Jenna Ortega, known for her role in Netflix’s Wednesday and popular horror films such as Scream and X, recently starred in a dark fantasy film that struggled financially in theaters but has found surprising success on streaming platforms. Released earlier in 2025, the movie failed to meet box office expectations but now ranks among the top titles on HBO Max worldwide, illustrating an emerging trend of films finding new life after disappointing theatrical runs.
Box Office Struggles of ‘Death of a Unicorn’
“Death of a Unicorn,” produced by A24 and directed by Alex Scharfman, was one of the early box office disappointments of 2025. The film centered on a father-daughter duo, played by Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, who accidentally kill a unicorn on their way to a weekend getaway. The story evolves as the father’s billionaire employer seeks to exploit the unicorn’s regenerative abilities.
Initially projected to earn between $7 million and $8 million during its opening weekend, the movie only brought in around $5 million. Its total theatrical gross ended at approximately $15 million, falling short of its $16 million production budget. Despite this underperformance, the film’s strong appeal on streaming platforms has revitalized its presence, securing the No. 3 spot on HBO Max’s global streaming charts, trailing only behind “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners.”
Critical Reception Highlights Mixed Feedback
Alongside its box office challenges, “Death of a Unicorn” faced lukewarm critical reception. The film currently holds a 52% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the lower-rated projects in Ortega’s growing filmography. Critics pointed to weak visual effects, predictable storylines, and stereotypical characters as notable drawbacks.
Nicolás Medina of Peliplat critiqued the film by calling it
“a tiresome trot through a forest of half-chewed ideas that neither shocks nor entertains,”
while Simon Foster of Screen-Space described it as
“a fantasy-horror-comedy that sharpens its horn on greedy big-business ethics – but…can’t nail the landing.”
Streaming Success Reflects Different Audience Preferences
Despite the critical disappointment, “Death of a Unicorn” has resonated much more positively with general audiences, boasting a 76% audience score, which stands as one of Ortega’s highest viewer ratings. The movie’s blend of campy creature feature elements, gore, and sharp social satire targeting greed and corporate ethics has helped it carve a niche in the streaming market.
The film benefits greatly from the combination of Ortega, who has quickly become a defining figure of Gen Z horror as a “scream queen,” and Paul Rudd’s seasoned comedic presence. Their performances and on-screen chemistry contribute strong appeal, offsetting some of the film’s narrative weaknesses.
Additionally, the A24 brand’s reputation for producing innovative, high-quality independent films likely played a role in attracting viewers to the movie after its theatrical release. The studio’s alignment with dark satire and horror genres, which have proven to succeed on streaming platforms, underscores the potential longevity for similar projects beyond box office numbers.
The Broader Impact on Jenna Ortega’s Career and Film Distribution
The situation surrounding “Death of a Unicorn” highlights the transitional phase Jenna Ortega is experiencing as she shifts from a child actor in Disney’s “Stuck in the Middle” to a major star recognized internationally. While the film’s poor box office showing marks a setback, its streaming triumph demonstrates how content consumption has evolved and how streaming can resurrect interest in movies that underperform theatrically.
This case also underscores the increasing importance of streaming platforms like HBO Max as essential avenues for films to find their audiences, especially niche or genre projects that may not attract large audiences in cinemas. Since streaming allows viewers flexibility and caters to diverse tastes, films like this dark fantasy comedy can thrive despite earlier commercial missteps.
Looking ahead, “Death of a Unicorn’s” streaming success may encourage filmmakers and studios to consider hybrid release strategies while tailoring content to the dynamics of online audiences. For Jenna Ortega, the film adds to her varied portfolio and reinforces her growing status within genre cinema.
“a tiresome trot through a forest of half-chewed ideas that neither shocks nor entertains,” Nicolás Medina, Peliplat
“a fantasy-horror-comedy that sharpens its horn on greedy big-business ethics – but…can’t nail the landing.” Simon Foster, Screen-Space
