From the genius Under the Skin to Alex Garland‘s Ex Machina and the big-budget, Timothée Chalamet-led Dune: Part Two, the 21st century has graced audiences with some of the finest sci-fi movies of all time. However, with the good inevitably comes the bad, with many citing Jon Amiel‘s 2003 sci-fi disaster The Core as one of the worst, despite a strong cast and an impressive 2003 budget working in its favor.
Loathed for its nonsensical premise and a complete and utter disregard for the science element of science-fiction, The Core received just 39% from critics and an even worse 34% from audiences on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. However, over 20 years later, the film has found unlikely success, thanks in no small part to the ever-present desire for Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank movies. Officially, as of July 14, 2025, The Core is one of the ten most-streamed titles on Tubi in the U.S. per FlixPatrol.
The Core officially enters the top ten titles on Tubi in the #10 position, with nine other movies proving more popular with U.S. audiences. At #9, the first of these is Hellbound: Hellraiser II, directed by Tony Randel. The 1991 sleeper hit Fried Green Tomatoes starring Kathy Bates is at #8, with the 2019 remake of Pet Sematary by director duo Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer at #7. Zoe Saldaña‘s forgotten revenge thriller Colombiana is at #6, with the beloved Pulp Fiction at #5, and the third installment in the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Summer Vacation, at #4. The Tom Hanks-led Forrest Gump is at #3, with James Cameron‘s Titanic at #2, and Boston Blue alum Donnie Wahlberg‘s Dreamcatcher at the top spot.
How Did ‘The Core’ Perform at the Box Office?
Despised by critics and audiences alike, could The Core find some success, at least in monetary terms? The answer is, sadly, no, with The Core perhaps even more of a disappointment when it came to its box-office run. Made for a reported budget of $85 million, The Core couldn’t even hit this easiest of milestones, falling short with a final global haul of just $74 million. Split between a domestic total of $31 million and a further $43 million from overseas markets, The Core was an unquestionable flop, not even managing to finish in the top 70 highest-earning movies of the year.
The Core is streaming now on Tubi. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
The Core
- Release Date
-
March 28, 2003
- Runtime
-
135 minutes
- Director
-
Jon Amiel
- Writers
-
Cooper Layne, John Rogers
Source: FlixPatrol
