18 Years Later, Clint Eastwood's Most Brutal Movie Makes a Major Streaming Comeback

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Published Mar 17, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT

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Few figures in Hollywood history are more iconic than Clint Eastwood. This May 31, the beloved actor and director will celebrate his 96th birthday, incredibly just two years after his most recent movie. Released in 2024, Juror #2 wasn't a neat nostalgia trip from a veteran past his prime; it was yet another example that Eastwood is still one of the finest minds in the business, and his experience is invaluable. 16 years before the release of Juror #2, Eastwood debuted one of his most brutal films ever, one he would also star in.

The movie in question is Gran Torino, one of Eastwood's last great blockbusters that, at the time, broke the record for his highest-grossing movie. That record has since been smashed by 2014's American Sniper, but a $270 million global haul against a reported budget between $25 million and $33 million is still hugely impressive. Gran Torino starred Eastwood alongside a strong cast, including Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley, and more, with an emphasis on casting Hmong American actors, helping break new ground in the industry. A synopsis for the movie reads:

"Retired autoworker and Korean War vet Walt Kowalski fills emptiness in his life with beer and home repair, despising the many Asian, Latino and black families in his neighborhood. Walt becomes a reluctant hero when he stands up to the gangbangers who tried to force an Asian teen to steal Walt's treasured car. An unlikely friendship develops between Walt and the teen, as he learns he has more in common with his neighbors than he thought."

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'Gran Torino' Is a Streaming Hit

At the time of writing, Gran Torino is one of the ten most-streamed titles on AMC+ in the U.S. Although a hit with critics, earning a strong 81% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Gran Torino somehow found itself snubbed entirely from the 81st Academy Awards, not earning a single nomination despite being recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the ten best of 2008. The consensus from critics on Rotten Tomatoes reads, "Though a minor entry in Eastwood's body of work, Gran Torino is nevertheless a humorous, touching, and intriguing old-school parable."

Gran Torino is a streaming hit on AMC+. Stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.