It is common for movies to pique more interest after winning prestigious awards, particularly from esteemed bodies like the Academy. Even films that do not fare well commercially often end up becoming must-watch after such recognition. This year’s Oscars were no exception, as Oppenheimer, the winner, experienced a significant surge in viewership immediately following the Academy’s announcement. In fact, the spike was evident even a day before the Academy’s results.

Oppenheimer, however, is not alone in this regard. Despite its underwhelming performance at the Oscars, The Holdovers managed to attract similar interest from viewers after the 96th Academy Awards ceremony.

The sudden surge in viewership for Oppenheimer and The Holdovers

The Holdovers hit the NBCUniversal streaming service in December 2023, while Oppenheimer landed on the platform in February of this year. According to a report from Deadline, from March 9 to 12, which was the Oscars week, Oppenheimer saw its viewership surge by 61% on Peacock. Meanwhile, The Holdovers enjoyed a 132% surge in viewership during the same period. Oppenheimer‘s arrival on the streaming platform made history as the most-watched launch for a pay-one film in Peacock’s books.

In the opening week, it received 821 million viewing minutes on the platform, as reported by Nielsen. However, The Holdovers, a relatively lesser-known film, had been quietly building its reputation as one of those underrated gems. With only $41 million in global box office earnings, what could have triggered this sudden surge in interest, causing its viewership spike to exceed even that of the Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer?

Leading up to the big night, The Holdovers found itself in some sensational controversies that cast a big spotlight on the movie despite its somewhat under-the-radar reputation.

Negative media coverage could have worked in favor of The Holdovers

The film industry was in shock when Simon Stephenson lodged a formal complaint with the Writers Guild of America in January this year. Stephenson claimed that the screenplay of the Oscar-nominated film was plagiarized “line-by-line” from his own script, Frisco. The Scottish writer and former pediatrician alleged that Alexander Payne had access to Frisco in 2013 and again in 2019 before collaborating with screenwriter David Hemingson on The Holdovers. This revelation split fans on social media ahead of the Oscars.

The online community split into two camps for The Holdovers. One side supported the accusations and also pressured the Academy to reconsider its nomination. Meanwhile, skeptics cast doubt on the claims, pointing to the commonplace pre-Oscars drama that often amounts to little. As for who is right and who is wrong, it is a matter of debate. However, the heated discussions surrounding The Holdovers likely played a role in reigniting interest among fans, despite its lackluster showing at the Oscars.

What do you think about the surge in viewership of the two movies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!