Jason Bateman’s Poorly Reviewed Comedy Sequel Rises Into Netflix’s US Top 10 Chart

Jason Bateman’s negatively reviewed 2014 comedy sequel, Horrible Bosses 2, is now trending on Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 Movies chart. The movie served as a follow-up to the 2011 hit Horrible Bosses and follows Nick (Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day), and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis), three men who finally broke free from their evil bosses and are now navigating starting a business together. However, when they find themselves at the mercy of a terrible investor, they once more form an outlandish plot to better their situation. While the sequel received poor reviews, it has since found new life on Netflix.

After recently releasing on Netflix for streaming, Horrible Bosses 2 made it to the U.S. Top 10 Most-Watched Movies chart. For the week of February 12-18, the movie sits at #8 on the chart. Despite being a decade old, it shares the Top 10 with new releases like Orion and the Dark and Players, as well as with some enduring hits such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has spent 12 weeks on the list.

Will There Ever Be A Horrible Bosses 3?

The comeback of Horrible Bosses 2 will likely renew the conversation around the franchise’s future. The first Horrible Bosses was a hit that garnered largely positive reviews and grossed $200 million at the box office. It received high praise for its performances and balance between comedy and depth, setting the stage for a potential franchise. Unfortunately, the sequel only earned half of what the original did at the box office and was largely panned by critics. However, Bateman has questioned whether it was the quality that resulted in the failure or the Thanksgiving weekend release date.

Bateman has a point about the release date, as the raunchy R-rated Horrible Bosses 2 wasn’t the kind of movie families would go see together over Thanksgiving weekend. Even if it wasn’t a critical hit, perhaps it could’ve done something at the box office if the timing had been better. Meanwhile, Day has expressed interest in giving it another go with a potential Horrible Bosses 3. No one has ever outright said another installment won’t happen, and the cast and crew seem interested in giving the series a more satisfying ending.

Horrible Bosses 2‘s Netflix comeback isn’t the only sign that there may be interest in another movie. R-rated comedies have been making a comeback with the likes of No Hard Feelings and Anyone But You. Also, the entire cast has only further increased their star power in the past decade. Horrible Bosses 2‘s Netflix streaming release is one way to gauge whether there’s still an audience or appetite for another film, and its reception so far suggests there might be.

Source: Netflix

Horrible Bosses 2

Written and directed by Sean Anders, Horrible Bosses 2 is a sequel to the 2011 film, Horrible Bosses. The Crime and Comedy release stars Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston Jason Bateman, and Charlie Day. The plot takes place three years after the first film and sees three friends scammed by an investor.

Director

Sean Anders

Release Date

November 26, 2014

Studio(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Sean Anders , John Morris , Jonathan M. Goldstein , John Francis Daley , Michael Markowitz

Runtime

108minutes

Budget

$42 million