Quick summary
- Ryan Gosling’s 2016 comedy The Nice Guys has reached No. 1 on Apple TV’s US viewership chart, according to Men’s Journal via Yahoo.
- SlashFilm reports it became the service’s most watched movie 28 days after it arrived there.
- The film earned about $62 million worldwide against a reported $50 million budget, and critics gave it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Gosling is currently also in the spotlight for Project Hail Mary.
The Nice Guys flopped in cinemas in 2016. This week it is the most watched film on Apple TV in the United States, a decade after it failed to find an audience. Men’s Journal, in a story published on 11 November 2026, says the Shane Black comedy has overtaken some of the platform’s own originals on the way to the top spot.
How The Nice Guys reached No. 1 on Apple TV
According to Men’s Journal, the film climbed to first place on Apple TV’s US viewership chart after being added to the platform earlier this month. On the way up it passed Mayday and Matchbox, two of Apple’s more popular original movies.
SlashFilm puts a number on the timing: 28 days after The Nice Guys went live on the service, it became Apple TV’s most watched movie. The two outlets describe the arrival date a little differently, but they agree on the result. Neither report gives actual viewing figures, so the size of the audience is not known.
A box office miss with a loyal following
The numbers from 2016 explain why the revival stands out. Men’s Journal reports the film took only $62 million worldwide against a reported budget of $50 million, which means it did not turn a profit for Warner Bros. For a studio comedy with two well-known leads, that was a quiet result.
Critics were kinder. The film holds a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and its critical consensus praises a knowing script and the “irresistible chemistry” of its leads, in the style of the buddy comedies of an earlier era.
SlashFilm’s writer argues that audiences simply stayed away in 2016 and says the film packs more into its 116 minutes than the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe. That is opinion, not data, but it matches the film’s reputation as a cult favourite.
What the film is about
Set in the late 1970s, The Nice Guys follows Gosling as Holland March, an alcoholic private detective and single father. Russell Crowe plays an enforcer who ends up working alongside him. Angourie Rice, the Australian actress, appears as part of the cast, and Margaret Qualley plays Amelia Kuttner, the anti-pollution activist whose disappearance sets the plot moving.
Black is the screenwriter behind Lethal Weapon, and SlashFilm notes that The Nice Guys started life as a network television pilot he developed with Anthony Bagarozzi before it became a feature produced by Joel Silver. SlashFilm calls Gosling’s turn as March both funny and heartbreaking.
Gosling’s other big moment
The timing is neat for Gosling. According to Men’s Journal, he has become one of the industry’s most reliable draws over the past decade, with titles ranging from Barbie and Project Hail Mary to First Man and The Place Beyond the Pines.
A review in the student paper Northern Iowan praised his performance as the schoolteacher Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary, calling it relatable and funny. That is one reviewer’s view, but it shows how much attention is on him right now. For more on his career, see everything we have published under the Ryan Gosling tag, including our look at Half Nelson turning 20. More film coverage is in our Movies section.
What happens next
SlashFilm’s writer does not expect a sequel. They say Warner Bros. is unlikely to revive commercial misfires under its current ownership, so the chart result looks like a belated victory lap rather than the start of a franchise. No studio announcement about a follow-up appears in the sources. Whether the film holds the top spot will show in Apple TV’s chart over the coming days.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Nice Guys really No. 1 on Apple TV?
Men’s Journal reports it reached No. 1 on Apple TV’s US viewership chart, and SlashFilm reports it is the service’s most watched movie. Neither gives viewing figures.
How much money did The Nice Guys make?
According to Men’s Journal, it earned about $62 million worldwide against a reported budget of $50 million, so it did not make a profit for Warner Bros.
Who stars in The Nice Guys?
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe lead the cast, with Angourie Rice and Margaret Qualley in supporting roles. Shane Black directed.
Will there be a Nice Guys sequel?
No sequel has been announced in the reports we read.
