Russell Crowe’s ‘Nuremberg’ Loses Ground to Another Post-World War 2 Favorite

2 weeks ago 13

Published Feb 13, 2026, 7:00 AM EST

Makuochi Echebiri is a News Writer for Collider. He has been interested in creative writing from as far back as high school, and he would consume pretty much anything that’s film or TV. However, his truest love lies in the presence of historical epics and thrillers.

Lured by the brilliance of Middle Earth from an early age both in print and on screen, his palate has since expanded to other realms including Westeros, Kattegat among others. He also possesses a great appetite for the stories that emanate from the vastness of space. Even though he is no Avenger.

Obsessed with storytelling and having works of his own that have yet to make it to print, he is content to use that ability to communicate to as many as are reachable. In his spare time, he looks out for avenues where he can aid people aside from his plans to reign over this earthly realm. Yes…you heard that first here.

2025 delivered a series of World War II dramas, from Angel Studios’ Truth & Treason and the harrowing The World Will Tremble to Russell Crowe’s courtroom thriller Nuremberg, the Jaws-esque tale Beast of War, and the long-awaited sequel to 2022’s Sisu, widely regarded as one of the best WWII films of the past decade. Among the lot, two titles in particular went head-to-head at the box office. Sisu: Road to Revenge and Crowe’s Nuremberg arrived within weeks of each other, quickly becoming the most talked-about WWII releases of the year. Although Nuremberg ultimately proved the more profitable theatrical hit, the battle has taken a different turn on digital streaming platforms.

Given its near-perfect 95% audience score, Nuremberg was poised to thrive on PVOD, and that success was instant. Starring two Oscar winners in Crowe and Rami Malek, the courtroom drama has remained a fixture on digital charts. However, according to the latest data from FlixPatrol, its dominance is beginning to soften just as its brutal box office rival mounts an aggressive comeback. Sisu: Road to Revenge, which also performed strongly upon its digital debut, has recently experienced a powerful surge in demand, one significant enough to propel it past the competition.

After a disappointing theatrical run, Sisu: Road to Revenge arrived on digital platforms earlier in December. The sequel grossed $9.8 million against a reported $12 million budget, marking a noticeable step-down from its predecessor, which earned nearly double its production cost. However, since the battlefield shifted from cinemas to digital, the tide began to turn. Sisu: Road to Revenge has begun to mirror the sustained streaming success of the original, which continues to chart years after its release. Last week, Sisu 2 appeared on the domestic iTunes charts, and, as of the time of writing, it has climbed a remarkable 13 spots to land at No. 10, nowahead of Crowe’s Nuremberg, which has slipped into the lower half of the rankings. With the goodwill of a better-loved original behind it, Sisu 2 appears poised for stronger staying power in the digital arena.

Will There Be a 'Sisu 3'?

Sisu: Road to Revenge once again saw Jalmari Helander in the director’s chair, with Jorma Tommila returning as the indestructible Aatami Korpi and Avatar star Stephen Lang stepping in as the film’s primary antagonist. Both critics and audiences responded positively, with Collider’s Jeff Ewing praising how it “builds off the gleeful, comic-level brutality of the original.”

While its underwhelming theatrical performance may have cast doubt over any potential trilogy plans, its sustained momentum on digital platforms could improve the odds. Nothing has been made official regarding a third installment, but Helander has expressed openness to continuing the story, recently teasing, "I like to think that this is a very beautiful ending for the story of Aatami Korpi. But at the same time, you never know. Some day, I might have an idea for the third one. Let's see."

Stay tuned for updates.