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Better Man, the 2024 biopic film on British musician Robbie Williams, confused many with the marketing. Why is he a monkey? This was the main question moviegoers asked when they saw the previews for the film. Overall, 2024 was a strange year at the box office, with many blockbuster movies not reaching their potential. This film was not immune and flopped. However, it has become a streaming darling, skyrocketing up the charts.
Better Man, A Streaming Darling
Better Man has found success on streaming. Despite its lackluster performance at the box office, grossing a meager $20.3 million against an estimated budget of $110 million, the film has since seen brighter days. This biopic about British musician Robbie Williams, uniquely portrayed as a CGI monkey, is now scaling the streaming charts, holding a strong position at number 2 on the Paramount+ top 10 movies in the United States.
Directed by Michael Gracey, the film’s unexpected journey was far from smooth sailing. Released during a competitive awards season time, Better Man was overshadowed by a cluster of high-caliber Oscar nominees. Despite this, the movie managed to carve out a niche for itself on the streaming platform, seemingly more appealing to the small-screen audience.
Better Year In 2025?
The box office is looking to rebound in 2025. While it is great to have a movie go viral on a streaming service, much of the money is made in the opening weekend at the theaters. There has been an ongoing discussion of how to draw people to the movie theater. Much of it depends on the economy and the presence of quality movies at the box office.
Streaming has changed people’s moviegoing habits. Going to the movies is expensive for some, especially if you have multiple members in your family. Add in snacks and drinks, and a night out at the movies puts a huge dent in the budget. By way of contrast, streaming has a monthly fee and a vast catalog of movies. Many people have decided it is cheaper to be patient instead of heading out to the movie theater.
Final Thoughts
Better Man might have been a box office hit, but the streaming landscape has changed things. This unexpected turn of events is a testament to the unpredictability of the cinematic landscape. One day, you’re under the shadows, and the next, you’re shining bright. Here’s to Better Man, the struggling underdog that found its stride on a different kind of track.
More must-reads:
- 40 celebrities who often get confused for one another
- The 20 best bad movies of all time
- 20 films where pretty much no one survives
- 25 blockbuster films that were downright awful
- 25 actors who play characters you love to hate
TODAY'S BEST
Raiders Pushed to Sign Ex-Cowboy, Pro Bowler as Christian Wilkins Replacement
Training camp has started for the Las Vegas Raiders, and Christian Wilkins still isn't on the practice field. He hurt his foot in Week 5 of last season and continues to be in recovery. Head coach Pete Carroll didn't exactly instill confidence when he revealed that there's still no timeline for his return. “It’s still uncertain,” Carroll said during his Tuesday press conference. “We sort of have to wait it out.” Wilkins appears to be out of the boot, so that's a good sign, but there's been no clarity on when he might be able to get back on the field. With that in mind, the Raiders might want to consider adding more defensive line help. Linval Joseph Could Be Fit for Raiders At this stage of the offseason, there aren't going to be great options in free agency, but the Raiders could find a dependable veteran. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes Las Vegas should target free agent defensive tackle Linval Joseph. "Joseph finished his 2024 campaign with two sacks, two tackles for loss and 19 total tackles," Knox wrote. "He'd be a solid addition for any team needing depth along the defensive interior, and there are a couple. "The Las Vegas Raiders may need another defensive tackle, as Christian Wilkins still hasn't fully recovered from last year's second-ending foot injury." Joseph spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys and had 2.0 sacks. He's 36 now, but was able to play in all 17 games in 2024. He also went to back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2016 and 2017 when he was with the Minnesota Vikings.
Yankees Labeled 'Most Aggressive' Suitor for NL All-Star Ahead of Trade Deadline
The MLB trade deadline is set for July 31 at 6 p.m. EST, and one team consistently involved in rumors is the New York Yankees. After falling short in the 2024 World Series, the Yankees are once again in the thick of the playoff race as the second half of the season unfolds. They currently hold a 56–46 record, but after dropping five of their last eight games—and with the Toronto Blue Jays surging—they now trail Toronto by four games in the AL East. With the deadline approaching, this marks their final opportunity to bolster the roster. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Yankees and the Seattle Mariners are currently viewed as the two "most aggressive" teams in pursuit of Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman and NL All-Star Eugenio Suarez. The Yankees may not be desperate for another elite bat, but adding one certainly wouldn’t hurt—especially given their continued struggles at third base, where Suarez has played the majority of his career. Suarez is currently slashing .252 with 36 home runs—fourth-most in the majors—and a league-leading 86 RBIs. He’s in the final year of the seven-year, $66 million contract he originally signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 2018. Any team acquiring him at the deadline will face a tough decision in the offseason: either re-sign him or risk losing him in free agency. That said, the Yankees still need to assemble a compelling offer. With Suarez being one of the hottest bats in baseball, the Diamondbacks are reportedly asking for "a ton" in return, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB Network—raising the question of which team is willing to gamble on what could ultimately be a short-term rental.
Commanders' newcomer is making the team forget one of the biggest problems from 2024 early in training camp
The Washington Commanders are now two practices into training camp and it's time to see how all the offseason moves will start coming into play. The Commanders had way some very close games last season (they won five straight games on the last possession, for instance) and a lot of them came down to one position that's often forgotten about until they mess up: the kicker. General manager Adam Peters wasted no time in making sure the team would finally have stability at the position by signing veteran Matt Gay this offseason, and so far it's paying off. Commanders lacked stability at kicker in 2024 but that could change in 2025 Washington cycled through seven kickers on the roster from start to finish last season which included Cade York, Brandon McManus, Ramiz Ahmed, Greg Joseph, Austin Seibert, and finally Zane Gonzalez. They lacked stability for an entire season and that had to change in 2025. The Commanders almost had a miracle win against Dallas, but ultimately lost after missing an extra point with :21 seconds left following a Terry McLaurin 86-yard touchdown from Jayden Daniels. Gonzalez ended up being decent and he made the iconic "doink" kick against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as time expired in the playoffs, but Washington still needed an upgrade. Enter former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Matt Gay. The Commanders signed him to an historic deal this offseason: a fully-guaranteed, $4.25 million deal that's worth up to $5 million after incentives. It's the most fully-guaranteed money for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history. Matt Gay off to a hot start in training camp A kicker doesn't need intense practicing to make an impact, but we need to see the ball go through the uprights to ease our minds and so far that's what Gay is doing. ESPN's Commanders reporter John Keim said on his podcast "The John Keim Report" that the new kicker went 6 for 6 in his first training camp practice including a 52-yarder. It's obviously only one practice so far, but that's what we need to see from Gay. Stacking good days on top of good days, then making the big kicks when it matters the most during the season. The NFL is called a "field goal league" for a reason and Washington can't afford to lose any close games down the stretch, especially with a tough schedule this season, so Gay holding down the kicker position can be well worth the investment that the Commanders made this offseason.
Yankees-Cardinals Deal? Trade Deadline Rumors Heating Up
Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently discussed some of the top names available at the trade deadline. One of the names Reuter discussed was St. Louis Cardinals reliever Phil Maton. With Maton sitting on an expiring contract, it seems quite likely he's traded away. "Few pitchers have done a better job limiting hard contact this season than Maton, who ranks among the MLB leaders in hard-hit rate allowed (97th percentile), average exit velocity allowed (100th percentile) and barrel rate allowed (97th percentile)," Reuter wrote. "The 32-year-old has a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 18 holds in 38 games." The Cardinals were reportedly the only team that had interest in Maton as a free agent in the offseason, but now, a lot of contenders will likely go after him on the trade block. One of the team's that would be a perfect fit for Maton is the New York Yankees. The Yankees are bound to be quite aggressive at the trade deadline, and they need to add an arm to the bullpen. While it would be fun for the Yankees to chase a name like Ryan Helsley or Emmanuel Clase, it's more likely they'll use their top prospects to trade for a third baseman and a starting pitcher. That means the Cardinals could ship Maton to the Bronx in exchange for one or two mid-level prospects at the deadline. This would work for St. Louis, who is not going to contend for the World Series this season either way. It would also work for the Yankees, who could add to their bullpen in an affordable way, while saving the top prospects to be traded in the bigger deals.
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