One of the Biggest Box Office Flops of Robert De Niro's Career Finds Redemption on Streaming

One of the Biggest Box Office Flops of Robert De Niro's Career Finds Redemption on Streaming Robert De Niro wearing spectacles on the red carpetImage via Ian West/PA Images By  Rahul Malhotra Published 53 minutes ago Rahul Malhotra is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.

He has been writing for Collider for over two years, and has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal to introduce audiences to a whole new world of cinema. 

Swing and a miss > measured victory. Also, #JusticeForHan. (He/Him). Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

While Warner Bros. has established itself as the undisputed king of the box office this year, with a string of blockbusters of all shapes and sizes, the year started off on a rather sour note for the studio. WB released Bong Joon-ho's long-delayed science-fiction film Mickey 17, which grossed only around $130 million worldwide against a reported budget of around $120 million. At around the same time, the studio debuted the gangster drama The Alto Knights, which was an even bigger flop. The movie made $10 million worldwide against a reported budget of $50 million. However, it witnessed a surge in interest on streaming recently, following its debut on Prime Video.

According to FlixPatrol, The Alto Knights was among the top 10 most-watched movies on the domestic Prime Video charts earlier this week, when the leader board was topped by the critically panned action-comedy Playdate, starring Alan Ritchson and Kevin James. Directed by the veteran Barry Levinson, who remains best-known for having made the blockbusters Rain Man and Good Morning, Vietnam, The Alto Knights starred Robert De Niro in the dual roles of gangsters Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. He was supported by Debra Messing and Shōgun's Cosmo Jarvis.

The Alto Knights earned mostly poor reviews, and is now sitting at a 40% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads, "A competent but tired retread of mob movie tropes, The Alto Knights pits De Niro vs. De Niro with no real victor emerging." De Niro is, of course, a veteran of the gangster genre, having starred in classics such as The Godfather Part II and The Untouchables. And although The Alto Knights was designed as a stylistic throwback to old-school gangster movies, it could only find an audience once it debuted on HBO Max, and now on Prime Video. It remains one of the biggest flops of De Niro's career, alongside movies such as Being Flynn, The Comedian, Once Upon a Time in America, and most notably, The King of Comedy.

Warner Bros. Is on a Remarkable Roll

WB's fortunes turned around not long afterward, with the breakout success of Ryan Coogler's Sinners, which grossed around $365 million worldwide. This was followed by Final Destination Bloodlines ($315 million), Weapons ($267 million), A Minecraft Movie ($956 million), Superman ($615 million), The Conjuring: Last Rites ($495 million), and F1 ($635 million). Even the studio's latest release, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, managed to exceed expectations and gross $200 million worldwide.

You can watch The Alto Knights at home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

5 10

The Alto Knights

Like Follow Followed R Crime Drama History Release Date March 21, 2025 Runtime 122 minutes Director Barry Levinson Writers Nicholas Pileggi Producers Charles Winkler, David Winkler, Irwin Winkler, Jason Sosnoff

Cast

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• Robert De Niro Vito Genovese / Frank Costello
• Debra Messing Bobbie Costello

The Alto Knights depicts the rivalry between two infamous New York crime bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. Formerly close allies, their friendship unravels due to jealousy and betrayal, igniting a violent power struggle. Their conflict not only alters the dynamics of the Mafia but also leaves a lasting impact on American history at large.

Genres Crime, Drama, History Powered by Expand Collapse

• Movie News
• The Alto Knights
• Robert De Niro

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