The Robert Downey Jr. movie that has suddenly become a worldwide success again has been ranked among the “Best Thriller Movies of All Time.” Easily one of the biggest movie stars of his generation, Robert Downey Jr. has been a big part of many films that have absolutely thrilled audiences. However, 2007’s Zodiac is his only film that has been ranked among the “Best Thriller Movies of All Time” by a highly respected outlet. Now, more than 19 years after it was first released in the United States, the film has suddenly become a major worldwide streaming success.
During October, many film lovers revisit their favorite scary movies, which can result in horror titles with monsters or supernatural scares getting a major bump. However, in 2026, viewers worldwide have instead opted to watch a terrifying masterpiece that is immensely frightening in a different way. Long after it was originally released in the United States on March 2, 2007, Zodiac has been taking the world by storm.
On October 13, 2026, Zodiac appeared at No. 10 on FlixPatrol’s list of the top 10 most viewed movies on HBO Max worldwide. The following day, the film continued to be streamed globally as FlixPatrol listed it in the No. 10 slot once again. The vast majority of films that are nearly two decades old could never get even close to reaching the top 10 on an international streaming service, let alone do it for two consecutive days.
However, Zodiac has long been celebrated as truly exceptional. When Zodiac was first released, the movie didn’t become a massive box office hit. Instead, according to IMDb, it brought in less than $85 million on an estimated $65 million budget, which doesn’t factor in how much it cost to market and distribute the film.
However, it earned a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score, and once people saw the film, it didn’t take long for it to build a reputation as a masterpiece. The film, which was directed by David Fincher, features stellar performances by Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, John Carroll Lynch, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, and Dermot Mulroney. More importantly, it is hard to overstate how masterfully the movie creates suspense.
In fact, the Lake Berryessa attack scene and the moment when Robert Graysmith enters Bob Vaughn’s basement are both so unsettling in their own way that they have become iconic. For those reasons and more, Time Out included Zodiac at No. 12 on its ranking of the “100 best thriller movies of all time,” which was updated in February 2026. Next: 1995 Masterpiece, Rejected by Al Pacino, Ranked Among the ‘Best Thriller Movies of All Time’ Have fun.
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