Aaron Eckhart's Sci-Fi Flop Finds New Life as Tubi Streaming Hit

Over a decade after bombing at the box office, Aaron Eckhart's I, Frankenstein has d

iscovered an unexpected second life. The 2014 sci-fi fantasy film, which struggled to recoup its $65 million budget and earned scathing reviews, has quietly become one of Tubi's most-watched offerings in January 2026, proving that streaming platforms can resurrect even the most critically maligned films.

From Box Office Disaster to Streaming Success

As of January 19th, I, Frankenstein sits in 10th place on Tubi's Top 10 movies list in the United States. The film joins a surprisingly prestigious lineup including Pulp Fiction, Men in Black, The Fifth Element, and Prey—the latter claiming the top position. For a movie that barely made back its production costs and holds devastating critical scores, this streaming success represents a remarkable redemption arc.

The film's theatrical run was disastrous by any measure. Despite featuring The Dark Knight star Aaron Eckhart in the lead role and a supporting cast including Bill Nighy, Jai Courtney, and pre-The Handmaid's Tale Yvonne Strahovski, I, Frankenstein grossed only $76.8 million worldwide against its $65 million budget. When accounting for marketing costs, the film lost significant money for its studio.

Why Critics and Audiences Rejected It

The numbers tell a brutal story. I, Frankenstein holds a mere 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer, indicating near-universal critical rejection. The audience-generated Popcornmeter offers slightly more mercy at 31%, but still confirms that viewers found little to enjoy. Critics cited questionable graphics, poor dialogue, and spotty performances as primary issues plaguing the film.

Based on Kevin Grevioux's graphic novel, the story follows Adam Frankenstein 200 years after his creation. He becomes caught in an ancient war between Gargoyles—humanity's historical protectors—and demons seeking to exploit his unique existence. The premise promised gothic action and monster mythology, but the execution apparently failed to deliver on that potential.

Eckhart's Optimistic Vision

Interestingly, Aaron Eckhart had much higher hopes for the film during its 2014 release. In a CBR interview at the time, the actor explained what drew him to play a modernized version of Mary Shelley's classic monster. "As an actor, you're looking for the human struggle," Eckhart explained. "It was mostly that here's a guy, looking for his purpose in life. I thought that that was cool, and that anybody could relate to that."

The actor praised both the action elements and director Stuart Beattie's vision for the world. "You meet some directors, and you know right away that they can tell a story, which is the most important thing," Eckhart said. "Stuart, he loves actors, he loves filmmaking, he's a very nice guy, and he's a hard worker. He put all of the elements together."

Eckhart even admitted that part of the appeal was simply "the sticks"—referring to weapons used in the film—which he thought were cool. His enthusiasm suggests he genuinely believed in the project, making its ultimate reception all the more disappointing.

The Tubi Phenomenon

So why is I, Frankenstein suddenly finding success on Tubi? Several factors likely contribute. First, the completely free platform removes the barrier to entry—viewers risk nothing beyond their time. Curiosity about a notorious flop becomes easier to satisfy when it costs zero dollars.

Second, the film features recognizable stars and familiar IP. Eckhart's presence and the Frankenstein name carry weight, even if the execution disappointed. For casual browsers looking for monster action, the premise sounds appealing enough to click play.

Third, streaming algorithms often benefit films with clear genre markers. I, Frankenstein delivers straightforward sci-fi fantasy action, making it easy to categorize and recommend to viewers who enjoy similar content. The film may be bad, but it knows exactly what kind of bad it is.

The Verdict

I, Frankenstein's Tubi success won't erase its reputation as a critical and commercial failure. The 5% Tomatometer score remains damning evidence of its flaws. However, this streaming resurrection demonstrates that theatrical failure doesn't mean a film is worthless—sometimes it just needs to find the right audience at the right price point.

For viewers curious about what all the fuss was about, or those seeking guilty pleasure monster action, I, Frankenstein is currently available to stream free on Tubi. Just don't expect the human struggle Eckhart promised—expect questionable CGI and unintentional comedy instead.