Alexander Skarsgård And Margot Robbie's Dark Adaptation Of Fantasy Action Story Hits #1 Globally

Published Nov 7, 2026, 11:18 AM EST

Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay.

For many, Alexander Skarsgård remains best known forTrue Blood, HBO's seven-season vampire romance. After the show concluded in 2014, the actor continued to be a regular presence on both the big and small screens, appearing in projects like Hold the Dark (2018), The Little Drummer Girl (2018), Big Little Lies (2017-2019), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), and The Northman (2022). Skarsgård has only one collaboration with Margot Robbie, star of The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) and Barbie (2023), and that film is now experiencing a major resurgence with viewers on streaming.

A decade after its theatrical release, Skarsgård and Robbie's The Legend of Tarzan (2016) is dominating on HBO Max. As of writing, the film ranks as the number one movie on the service worldwide, beating a mix of standalone titles and major franchise releases. The Legend of Tarzan is number one in countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay, among others.

The Legend of Tarzan Has Swung To The Top Of HBO Max

Directed by David Yates, The Legend of Tarzan is based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, with Skarsgård taking on the legendary literary figure. Previously adapted into a hit 1999 Disney movie, the 2016 take on the character is darker and intended to feel more grounded and gritty. The Legend of Tarzan follows Tarzan as he returns to his former jungle home to investigate illicit mining activities, putting him in contact with Robbie's Jane. Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Rory J. Saper, and Osy Ikhile also star in the fantasy film.

On HBO Max, the Tarzan movie comes ahead of some major releases, including V for Vendetta (2005), The Hunger Games (2012), Reminders of Him (2026), Feed (2022). Rounding out the latter half of the streamers top 10 are The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Matrix (1999), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014), The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023), and, in tenth place, The Da Vinci Code (2006).

The Dark Tarzan Movie Is Making Up For Past Failures

The Legend of Tarzan may now be reconnecting with viewers because of Skarsgård's new movie, Wicker (2026), but the 2016 movie wasn't a big success at the time. Made on an estimated budget of $180 million, the film grossed $357 million worldwide, meaning it may not have broken even in theaters. What's more, the movie also didn't fare well with critics, earning only a 35% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Popcornmeter is also relatively weak at 58%.

Though The Legend of Tarzan may have struggled in theaters, streaming has evidently allowed past disappointments to redeem themselves. The fantasy adventure will likely never be considered among Skarsgård or Robbie's best projects, but the movie clearly has enough working in its favor to make it enticing to viewers ten years later.