Russell Crowe‘s new movie is proving to be its own comeback story for the Oscar-winning actor.
The beloved actor is clearly known for his iconic role as Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, which won him his only Academy Award for Best Actor. While Crowe has appeared in other critical darlings like Cinderella Man and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, he has mostly churned out mediocre movies, though not all have been well-received by critics.
However, the Oscar-winning actor may be seeing a positive turnaround with his last few movies. Crowe recently starred in the new sports movie, Beast, where he plays an MMA coach who reunites with a former boxer after a dire situation forces him to return to the ring. As of writing, the movie currently has a solid 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes with 13 reviews. Audiences are also responding well to the new movie, resulting in a 75% Popcornmeter rating.
This outcome means that Crowe’s last three movies have received “fresh” designations on Rotten Tomatoes. This streak includes 2025’s Nuremberg (71%) and the Depression-era crime thriller Weight (94%), which also stars Ethan Hawke.
Crowe is experiencing a major rebound, especially since several of his movies were poorly reviewed by critics over the last six years. Since 2020, as many as eight of his movies have received “rotten” designations on the site, including his lowest-rated movie ever, Poker Face (9%), and the infamous Marvel movie Kraven the Hunter (15%).
The upward trend started with the post-WWII movie, Nuremberg, where Crowe had a chilling performance as Hermann Göring. After a slight hiccup in the beginning, the reviews improved over time, with Crowe’s performance being called the standout. Meanwhile, Beast reviews mostly praised the uplifting underdog story, even though it does little to reinvent the genre and, at times, feels predictable.
In fact, Crowe had double duty, where he didn’t just have a supporting role but also co-wrote the story with David Frigerio. Tyler Atkins directed the sports film, while the remaining cast includes Daniel MacPherson, Luke Hemsworth, Mojean Aria, and Kelly Gale.
Despite earning a positive reception, it hasn’t received much traction, earning just $1 million thus far. However, it’s expected that the film will likely bounce back once it reaches streaming. Crowe’s track record has proven that many of his movies tend to perform very well once they hit streaming, especially if they weren’t commercial successes. Currently, there is no update on when Beast will land on streaming.
Meanwhile, Crowe continues to be one of the busiest actors, with a packed lineup of movies either awaiting release or in production. Thrillers like Bear Country and Billion Dollar Spy are already in post-production, while the star is currently filming the highly anticipated reboot of Highlander, where he will play Ramírez.
The upcoming fantasy movie will mark multiple reunions for the star, including Djimon Hounsou from Gladiator and Henry Cavill in Man of Steel. With so many movies in progress, it raises the question of how long this Rotten Tomatoes streak will carry on for the Oscar-winning actor.
Beast is now playing in theaters.
- Release Date
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April 10, 2026
- Director
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Tyler Atkins
- Producers
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Tim O’Hair, David Frigerio, John Schwarz, Michael Schwarz
Cast
