Robert De Niro’s Box Office Bomb Is Now a Surprise Smash on Streaming(Photo Credit –YouTube)
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In an industry filled with superhero fatigue and recycled sequels, The Alto Knights seemed like a sure bet. Directed by Barry Levinson, the period gangster drama features Robert De Niro as not one but two notorious mob bosses. On paper, it had every element needed to succeed at the box office. However, things didn’t exactly go as planned when it debuted in theaters in March 2025.
The $45 million budgeted crime saga floundered, earning just $9.5 million at the global box office, as per Box Office Mojo. Reviews were mixed, the buzz fizzled, and The Alto Knights quietly disappeared from theaters. But something unexpected happened, as the film began to surge back on streaming platforms. So here’s all you need to know about The Alto Knights.
What Is The Plot Of The Alto Knights?
Released on March 21, 2025, by Warner Bros, The Alto Knights is a gritty biographical crime drama that tells the tangled true story of 1950s mob legends Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, both played by Robert De Niro. The film revolves around a fierce power struggle within the American Mafia circle.
A slow-moving psychological battle breaks out between two titans of organized crime. Assassinations, betrayals, and shifting alliances led to the infamous 1957 Apalachin meeting, a real-life mafia summit that ended in disaster and exposed the mob’s operations to the public like never before.
De Niro delivers an impressive performance with chilling accuracy, alternating between Costello’s worn-out, reflective wisdom and Genovese’s icy, cunning ambition. However, despite all the efforts, the movie turned out to be a box-office disaster with mixed reviews from critics. The film only managed to gross somewhat over $9.5 million, with an estimated budget of $45–50 million.
The Alto Knights Become A Hit On Streaming Platforms
Despite the pedigree of its cast and crew, The Alto Knights simply didn’t land with moviegoers when it first hit the big screen. But the movie has found a second wind on streaming platforms. According to FlixPatrol, The Alto Knights is currently HBO’s most-watched film at present. It’s outperforming blockbusters like How to Train Your Dragon 2, Mountainhead, and The Wailing. That is an incredible comeback for a film that many thought was doomed upon its release.
Even though The Alto Knights didn’t do very well at the box office, it’s still catching on with audiences these days. Even though the film didn’t recoup its theatrical costs, it is still making its fan base on streaming services.
