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A brutal R-rated epic becomes a surprise Disney Plus smash hit

A brutal R-rated historical epic has become the latest surprise smash hit on the Disney Plus global most-watched list.

The Revenant

Thanks to Disney’s acquisition of Fox, and Hulu’s lack of availability overseas, the Mouse House’s streaming service has become inundated with R-rated titles that are hidden behind the parental controls of the STAR expansion.

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While it can often be jarring to see violent, blood-splattered actioners, thrillers and horror movies piled up alongside the staunchly-family friendly company’s output, it has at least introduced subscribers to a raft of quality content that they may have otherwise been unable to track down.

the revenant

One decidedly brutal epic that’s been making waves on the most-watched list is The Revenant, the 20th Century Fox release that hauled in $533 million at the box office and won three Academy Awards from twelve nominations, with the Best Director and Best Cinematography trophies being nudged out of the conversation by Leonardo DiCaprio finally landing his Best Actor trophy at the fifth time of asking.

An unflinching, uncompromising and often uncomfortable watch, The Revenant is nonetheless the 23rd most-watched film on Disney Plus around the world, as per FlixPatrol. The visuals, atmosphere and performances are all of the highest quality, so you can understand why so many folks would be keen to check it out in the highest of high definition from the comfort of their own home, even if it hardly fits the Disney remit.