A-lister Chris Pratt just came back to theaters for a new sci-fi thriller, and it has already made its way to online streaming. While Pratt once explained why his latest film, Mercy, is a must-watch in 2026, audiences seemed to disagree as it dropped as a critical and financial disaster for Amazon MGM Studios. Mercy grossed just $52.7 million worldwide (including $23.4 million domestically) in its theatrical run. The reviews for the Guardians of the Galaxy star's latest theatrical outing were no better, as Mercy's Rotten Tomatoes score sits at a pathetic 24% with a lacklustre B- CinemaScore from audiences.
Just 25 days after Chris Pratt's sci-fi thriller Mercy hit theaters on January 23, the Amazon MGM Studios-distributed flop has already been released online for digital purchase and rental in the United States from major PVOD services.
The dystopian near-future flick puts Chris Pratt's Detective Chris Raven before the AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson) that he helped create as he is accused of murdering his wife. Raven, like all other defendants at Mercy Capital Court, has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the AI system or face the death penalty.
Some of the biggest criticisms against the flick were for its boringly predictable storyline, weak performances from much of the cast other than Pratt, and flawed use of screen-based storytelling that relegates its hero to a chair. Many also criticized Mercy for its strange pro-AI and pro-police state stance at a time when both issues are subject to great discussion and controversy.
Hollywood blockbusters typically need to earn roughly 2.5 times their budgets to start turning a profit. According to Variety, Mercy came with a $60 million price tag for Amazon, placing its break-even point around $150 million, leaving it with an almost $100 million loss based on its theatrical run alone.
Amazon will undoubtedly hoping to regain some of that $100 million loss in the coming weeks from digital purchases and rentals, along with sales from DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD once Mercy hits physical shelves.
It's unclear how long it will take Mercy to start streaming for free, but when it does it will likely be through Amazon Prime Video. Last year, The Accountant 2, which also comes from Amazon MGM Studios, was available to stream for Prime Video subscribers within a month and a half, so, if Mercy was to follow suit, it could enter the subscription-based model at some point in March.
Amazon's Back-to-Back Thriller Flops Highlight Hollywood's Theatrical Problem
It has long been clear that Amazon had low expectations for its early 2026 slate, offering Prime members a special bundle deal with tickets to Mercy and Crime 101 for just $20. While Mercy finished its theatrical period as a major let down, Crime 101 just had a disastrous opening weekend, earning $28.3 million worldwide on a $90 million budget, despite being shouldered by two Avengers icons.
Despite similarly disappointing at the box office, Crime 101 was expected to have a leg-up on Mercy due to its improved word-of-mouth. It was Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 86% critic rating and a decent "B" CinemaScore.
Fans may not learn Crime 101's streaming release date for a while, but its early box office results make it likely to follow a similar window to Mercy, possibly coming up for digital purchase and rental as soon as mid-March.
Between the two vastly different crime thrillers, Amazon had major stars such as Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, and Barry Keoghan, many of whom have carried franchise epics to box office glory.
These days, it appears increasingly tough for a non-franchise flick, other than the rare gem, to gain much traction at the box office. Last year, the only big winners as far as complete originals go were F1: The Movie, Sinners, Weapons, and The Housemaid, of which, the former accelerated into theaters on the back of a major sporting brand, and the latter was adapted from a beloved book.
For various reasons from inflated theater costs to the rise of streaming, audiences are increasingly less willing to make time for the big screen unless it comes from a major IP or is a certified sensation. But even that those are far from a sure thing, with an MCU blockbuster like Captain America: Brave New World flopping badly in the same year as an Oscar-nominated masterpiece, One Battle After Another.
