Jason Bourne's Netflix Run: The Numbers Behind the Hit

Matt Damon is having a year. "The Odyssey," his Christopher Nolan epic, has grossed $1.7 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. Before that, he starred in Netflix's "The Rip" with Ben Affleck, and he produces Affleck's upcoming "Animals," which hits Netflix on Friday, Oct. 9.

But right now, the Damon movie climbing Netflix's U.S. chart is a 2016 film with a mixed critical record: "Jason Bourne." Screen Rant reports that all five films in the Bourne franchise arrived on Netflix on Oct. 1, but only this one has cracked the streaming service's Top 10. It sits at No. 10 as of this writing, having peaked at No. 8, according to FlixPatrol data cited by Screen Rant.

That's not because it's the best Bourne movie. Screen Rant points out that "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007) holds a 92% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, while "Jason Bourne" manages only a 55% critics' score and a matching audience score. The 2016 film isn't even the franchise's most recent entry; it's the latest starring Damon, but "The Bourne Legacy" (2012) with Jeremy Renner also came to Netflix on Oct. 1 and didn't chart.

What "Jason Bourne" has is receipts. It grossed $416.2 million worldwide on a reported $120 million budget, per Screen Rant. That's the kind of commercial history that draws viewers, even when the reviews are lukewarm. It also brings back Damon after the Renner detour, with a cast including Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent Cassel and Riz Ahmed, and it keeps the franchise's signature action and suspense.

Screen Rant's read: the film's status as the latest Damon-led entry likely plays the biggest role in its Netflix success. That tracks. For a casual viewer, "Jason Bourne" is the most recent taste of the character they actually care about, and the brand recognition outweighs a 55% score. The other films are older and, in the case of "The Bourne Legacy," a spin-off without Damon.

Our take: Netflix's top 10 isn't a quality ranking. It's a familiarity ranking. "Jason Bourne" is the most recognizable title in the franchise, and that's what gets it clicked. If you want the better movie, "The Bourne Ultimatum" is on the same service with a 92% score. But if you want the one that made $416 million, you're already watching it.

• Bourne franchise
• box office
• FlixPatrol
• Jason Bourne
• Matt Damon
• Netflix