Nobody was expecting much from Extraction when it hit Netflix in April 2020. The movie did boast big Marvel connections, via Chris Hemsworth in the lead role, Joe Russo on the script and producing alongside brother Anthony, and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame second unit director Sam Hargrave on his feature debut behind the camera; though, mid budget actioners are ten-a-penny on streaming, these days.
However, a swirling set of circumstances saw the bruising tale of Tyler Rake treat Netflix subscribers, generating much online buzz, and riding a wave of momentum enticing 100 million viewers to view it in just four weeks. This makes Extraction the streaming service’s most-watched original film ever.
Certainly, arriving during the strictest COVID-19 lockdowns helped, with millions remaining in to their homes, taking advantage of entertainment and gossip options. Now, we’re getting not only Extraction sequels, but an entire cinematic universe.
As you can see in the video below that Hemsworth posted on Instagram, the already-shredded Thor star is maintaining peak physical condition as Extraction 2 starts shooting this fall.
Having lost the element of surprise, it’ll be interesting to see if Extraction 2 can come close to matching the viewership figures of its predecessor. Sequels to popular hits always tend to perform better at the box office, but we’ll find out next year if it also applies to streaming-only projects.
