An overlookedBill Skarsgårdthriller is climbing the streaming charts months after its quiet theatrical run. The younger brother ofTrue Bloodstar Alexander Skarsgård and the son of Emmy nominee Stellan Skarsgård, Bill Skarsgård is best known for portraying the antagonist Pennywise in the 2017 Stephen King horror movieIt, in addition to its sequel and an upcoming spinoff.
WhiletheItmovies were financially successful, as were his later moviesJohn Wick: Chapter 4andNosferatu, several recentBill Skarsgård movieshave had underwhelming performances at the box office.
This includes the 2023 action-comedyBoy Kills World, which only grossed $3.3 million by the end of its theatrical run in 2024. That movie was followed by the 2024 adaptation ofThe Crow, whichgrossed just $24.1 million against its reported $50 million budgetafter debuting at No. 8 at the domestic box office.
Streaming Has Been Kind To Locked
It Only Recently Arrived On Hulu
In spite of being another underwhelming theatrical release for Bill Skarsgård,Lockedhas now found a sizable at-home audience. The movie, which is aremake of the Argentinian thriller4x4, follows petty thief Eddie (Skarsgård) beingtrapped in a souped-up SUV by the mysterious William(Anthony Hopkins), who can control the car remotely.
Locked, which was directed by David Yarovesky (Brightburn), debuted in theaters on June 23, 2025. It had a relatively small release, only playing in a maximum of 971 theaters, and eventuallyearned $1.6 million at the domestic box office and $4.1 million worldwide.
After debuting on Hulu,Lockedfirst appeared on the platform’s daily chart of the most-watched movies when it landed at No. 4 in the U.S. on July 26. It claimed No. 1 the following day before dropping to No. 2 behind the Rami Malek revenge thrillerThe Amateur. It has nowheld the No. 2 position for four consecutive days.
The Amateurwas No. 2 on the day whenLockedwas No. 1 in the United States.
Additionally, on July 31,Lockednabbed the No. 6 position on Hulu’s U.S. chart of the most-watched titles across film and television. The same day, it wasHulu’s No. 2 movie worldwide, also behindThe Amateur.
What This Means For Locked
It Could Be Good For Bill Skarsgård’s Future Prospects
IfLockedcontinues to thrive on streaming,it could become a major feather in Bill Skarsgård’s cap, helping him get further projects along similar lines. While his 2022 horror movieBarbarianwas a financial success, grossing $45.4 million against its reported $4.5 million budget, the majority of his highest-grossing movies feature him in monster makeup.
In addition toItandNosferatu, this includes, to an extent, the Marvel movieEternals, in which he voices the CGI villain Kro. However, the streaming success ofLockedcould help buoy the success of movies in whichBill Skarsgårdshows his face, encouraging producers to allow him to topline even more movies in the future without playing a monster.
