Acclaimed Comedy Joins Netflix Four Years After Box Office Flop

BJ Novak's directorial debut Vengeance is finally arriving on Netflix just four years after it underperformed at the box office.

The film tells the story of an ambitious writer who travels to Texas in order to investigate the murder of somebody from his past—but he soon realizes he's stumbled into the perfect opportunity to start a true crime podcast.

The film is a scathing social commentary about the way crime has become entertainment in the modern world, but its dark comedy and biting satire make it just as funny as it is thought-provoking.

'Vengeance' Had An Underwhelming Box Office Run

Despite being made on a very small budget and receiving a warm welcome at the Tribeca Film Festival, Vengeance ultimately suffered at the box office upon its release in 2022. The film pulled in just $4.3 million worldwide, which wasn't a complete disaster for such a low-budget indie movie—but equally wasn't that impressive.

The film opened against DC League of Super Pets, which was a much stronger box office performer as it had two of the industry's secret ingredients: superheroes and family animation. That film managed an impressive $207.5 million, leaving Vengeance in the dust.

Despite this underwhelming performance, Vengeance opened to strong reviews from critics. The film currently sits at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive audience score of 86%. Many reviews praised the film's sharp sense of humor, purposeful writing, and entertaining lead performance from BJ Novak.

IndieWire called it "razor-sharp" and "very funny", while Variety labeled it a "terrific directorial debut." Not all reviews were quite so warm, however; The Guardian criticized the film for its "overstuffed" story and "smug tone".

'Vengeance' Is Now Available to Stream on Netflix

While Vengeance had previously only been available to stream on Fandango or YouTube TV, the film will hopefully reach a much wider audience now that it's moving to Netflix. The streamer will be adding the film to its catalog on March 16, 2026.

Alternatively, those without a Netflix subscription can buy or rent Vengeance on VOD platforms such as Prime Video or Apple TV. Prices typically sit around $3.99 for rentals or $14.99 to purchase and keep.