Keke Palmer and SZA’s comedy film One of Them Days has become an unexpected success both at the box office and on Netflix. Initially released in theaters in January by Sony Pictures, the film quickly became a surprise hit, grossing $51.5 million worldwide, despite minimal advertising. The movie centers on two best friends, Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), who scramble to prevent eviction after discovering Alyssa’s boyfriend has spent their rent money. The film’s unique blend of humor and relatable friendship dynamics helped it gain significant attention, particularly after it overtook Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King at the box office over the MLK weekend.
The film’s popularity didn’t stop with its theatrical run; One of Them Days made its way to Netflix, where it quickly rose to the second spot on the platform’s most-watched movie chart, just behind the Netflix original The Life List. This rapid success on streaming suggests that there was a strong demand for the film, and viewers were eagerly awaiting its arrival. This positive momentum, combined with the good word-of-mouth from its box office run, has propelled the film’s popularity to new heights on Netflix.
The continued success of One of Them Days underscores the growing impact of theatrical releases on streaming success. Despite the increasing trend of direct-to-streaming films, movies that have a theatrical release tend to perform better once they arrive on streaming platforms. With studios experimenting with various release models, the strong performance of One of Them Days suggests that a theatrical run, even for smaller films, can play a crucial role in building a film’s streaming audience and extending its lifespan.
