'Dead Man's Wire' Quietly Joins Netflix After Box Office Flop

Gus Van Sant's latest action thriller, Dead Man's Wire, is finally coming to Netflix after a limited theatrical run last year.

Starring Dacre Montgomery, Bill Skarsgård, Cary Elwes, Myha'la, and Colman Domingo, the film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2025, where it opened to strong reviews all around.

Unfortunately, the film didn't quite manage to capture the same success at the box office. Due to limited distribution, Dead Man's Wire only opened in approximately 1,100 theaters in the United States and pulled in just over $3.55 million worldwide. Against its reported budget of $13 million, this was an overwhelming disappointment.

Dead Man's Wire tells the real-life story of disgruntled bank robber Tony Kiritsis, who took a real estate manager hostage and held him hostage in his own apartment while police tried to talk him down. The movie follows several different characters, including Kiritsis, as this crisis unfolds with spectacular chaos.

The film was made in collaboration with Alan Berry and Mark Enochs, who previously made the 2018 film Dead Man's Line, which recounted the same true story. While this rendition of events is much more lighthearted, fast-paced, and comedic at times, it does a great job of capturing the pure mayhem of this foiled hostage plot.

Where Dead Man's Wire differs from most hostage thrillers is through its multi-perspective approach to storytelling. While most of the story is told through Kiritsis's perspective as he struggles to keep his own crimes under control, the screenplay also drifts between Cary Elwes' police detective, Myha'la's ambitious news reporter, and Colman Domingo's charismatic radio DJ.

Reviews for Dead Man's Wire were initially strong, even if the film lost some favor with general audiences upon release. It currently has 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: "Brilliantly offbeat and tinged with a darkly humorous edge, Dead Man's Wire is brought to life by Bill Skarsgård's fearless performance, authentic period flavor, and anti-capitalist fervor."

Dead Man's Wire will arrive on Netflix in the United States on May 28, 2026. This marks the film's streaming debut, as it was previously only available to buy or rent at home through VOD platforms such as Amazon Prime or Apple TV.