Alan Ritchson’s New Action Thriller Defies Critics and Becomes a Smash Hit
Alan Ritchson’s Playdate is exploding on Prime Video despite poor reviews, turning into a breakout hit and sparking sequel buzz even as the studio stays silent.
Prime Video has another oddball hit on its hands. Alan Ritchson's new action-comedy Playdate is racking up views fast, even while critics are giving it the side-eye. And yes, sequel chatter has already started, though nothing is officially greenlit yet.
Big streaming win, tiny critics score
Playdate debuted on Prime Video on November 12, 2025 and almost immediately jumped to the top of the service, landing among the most-watched new titles and trending in the U.S. The first-week global viewing was strong enough to make it a clear streamer success. The funny part: critics do not like it. The Rotten Tomatoes critics score is sitting at a rough 17%, which makes the viewer interest even more surprising. But this is streaming in 2025—word of mouth and an easy click can carry a movie farther than reviews.
Sequel talk is heating up (but no official go yet)
There is no formal sequel announcement from Amazon/Prime Video yet. That said, director Luke Greenfield is already noodling on what comes next with writer Neil Goldman, and he says the streamer is interested.
"Obviously, Amazon is primed to go, and I have begun talking to Neil about that. We actually have some very funny ideas for what is next. I am sure that is going to start happening pretty quick."
Translation: they are developing it, and if the numbers keep up, this could move fast.
What Playdate actually is
Ritchson plays Jeff Eamon, a stay-at-home dad who awkwardly hits it off with Kevin James's Brian Jennings, an unemployed accountant, during a playdate with their kids. It starts as a buddy-dad hang and then goes full chaos when mercenaries show up targeting Jeff's son. The tonal pivot from juice boxes to tactical gear is part of the appeal—whether you find that hilarious or unhinged probably decides your mileage.
Cast
- Alan Ritchson as Jeff Eamon
- Kevin James as Brian Jennings
- Sarah Chalke as Emily
- Alan Tudyk as Simon Maddox
- Stephen Root as Gordon
Bottom line: Playdate is a bona fide Prime Video hit despite a brutal critics score. A sequel feels inevitable if the viewership holds, but until Amazon says the word, it is still in the talking-and-idea stage.