The ant 2, which grossed $101 million worldwide in its theatrical run, and is sure to be even more of a hit on streaming.

It is no surprise at all to see Affleck headlining a thriller like The ant 2, after his efforts with films like the first ant, The Town, Argo, Triple Frontier and others. Science fiction films like the one he made back in 2003 are less frequently found in his filmography, and if sci-fi leaning comic book movies like Justice League are tossed out, the genre is even more poorly represented there.

Affleck’s 2003 Science Fiction Movie Paycheck Is Trending On Netflix

The early Affleck starring vehicle was a modest hit

2003 was a busy year for Affleck with three releases in theaters, among them the sci-fi movie Paycheck, which is now trending on Netflix. Directed by the legendary John Woo, the near-future thriller concerns a reverse engineer (Affleck) doing secretive work for tech companies, whose mind is erased after every job. Following a particularly sensitive gig involving government tech, Affleck awakes from his mind erasure to find himself being pursued, with no idea why.

Affleck's long-time friend and collaborator Matt Damon was first offered the lead role in Paycheck, but turned it down because he had just played a man with amnesia in The Bourne Identity

22 years after it grossed $117 million in theaters, Affleck’s pursuit thriller Paycheck is being rediscovered on streaming, and is currently trending on Netflix, landing at #5 on the service’s self-reported global top ten (via Flixpatrol).

Our Take On Affleck’s Paycheck Resurfacing After 22 Years

It’s a good watch for fans of paranoid sci-fi thrillers

Affleck’s 2003 included two of his most notable duds, Gigli and Daredevil, making the modestly successful Paycheck the best of his three releases that year. The Woo-directed thriller is more worthy of reassessment than the all-time bomb Gigli or the superhero misfire Daredevil, and it's refreshing to see new viewers discovering the movie on Netflix, and giving it a second chance.

It’s true that Affleck has leaned toward drama and thriller roles, doing very few science fiction or horror excursions over the course of his career. Perhaps Paycheck soured Affleck on doing more futuristic movies, given its modest box office success, and truly dismal critical reception (its Rotten Tomatoes rating stands at 27%). Or perhaps the star simply thought he’d found his niche in thrillers and dramas, and saw no need to revisit sci-fi.

Paycheck perhaps should have been a bigger success, given its basis in a short story by Philip K. Dick, an author whose works have been adapted into a number of classic films, and a few big hits like the original Total Recall and Spielberg’s Minority Report. Critics point to Woo’s direction as one of the film’s big problems, pointing out that his predilection for over-the-top action just doesn’t fit the material.

Woo left Hollywood right after Paycheck, and didn’t return until 2023. Affleck hung on in the Hollywood game, but steered his career away from high-concept sci-fi movies. Paycheck may have been an unfortunate experience for its star and director back in 2003, but streaming subscribers in 2025 are rediscovering its virtues.

Source: Flixpatrol