Sam Raimi’s “Send Help” has found a major new audience months after its theatrical release, quickly climbing to the top of Disney+’s U.S. charts shortly after arriving on the platform.
According to FlixPatrol data, the survival horror film overtook several high profile titles in a matter of hours, including “The Devil Wears Prada,” which had recently surged in popularity following the theatrical rollout of its long awaited sequel.
Rachel McAdams’ Villain Turn Is Driving New Attention to ‘Send Help’
Originally released in theaters in January, “Send Help” earned positive reviews and pulled in $94 million worldwide against a reported $40 million budget. While those numbers marked a respectable performance for an original horror thriller, the film did not dominate the box office conversation for long despite opening at No. 1 during its debut weekend.
The movie stars Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle, a corporate strategist whose work trip turns into a nightmare after a plane crash leaves her stranded on a remote island with her egocentric boss, played by Dylan O’Brien. What begins as a survival story gradually shifts into psychological horror as the relationship between the two characters becomes increasingly violent and manipulative.
Part of the renewed interest is tied to word of mouth surrounding McAdams’ performance, which gave the actress one of the darkest roles of her career. Raimi previously explained that he wanted to cast McAdams against type after working with her on “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” believing audiences would be caught off guard by seeing her play such an unpredictable character.
The film also carries several elements that tend to perform strongly on streaming platforms, including contained suspense, survival themes, and a heavily discussed ending that reframes much of the story’s power dynamic.
“Send Help” was directed by Raimi from a screenplay by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, with Danny Elfman composing the score. Alongside McAdams and O’Brien, the cast includes Dennis Haysbert, Chris Pang, Xavier Samuel, and Edyll Ismail.