'Deepwater Horizon' Will Leave Netflix in July 2026

If there's one thing Hollywood loves, it's an adaptation of a real-life event. Enter Deepwater Horizon, a 2016 movie based on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion (an offshore drilling rig) and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The environmental disaster resulted in approximately 206 million gallons of leaked oil, and it killed 11 workers and injured 17 others. The Mark Wahlberg-led film will depart Netflix only four months after its March 1 debut, presumably due to licensing rights. That means your time to watch it is limited.

The dramatization of the worst oil spill in US history stars Wahlberg as Mike Williams, Kurt Russell as Jimmy Harrell, John Malkovich as Don Vidrine, Gina Rodriguez as Andrea Fleytas, Dylan O'Brien as Caleb Holloway, and Kate Hudson as Felicia. Peter Berg directed from a screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand, which was based on the article "Deepwater Horizon's Final Hours" by David Barstow, Stephanie Saul, and David Rohde.

Deepwater Horizon premiered in theaters on Sept. 30, 2016. It was considered a box-office flop because it only grossed $121.8 million globally on a $110 million budget, meaning Lionsgate lost around $60-$112 million. The film's financial failure was head-scratching at the time, given Wahlberg's general appeal with moviegoers.

However, Deepwater Horizon received mostly positive reviews from critics. The Hollywood Reporter praised the movie for its "ruggedness and resilience," while The Guardian lauded Berg's directorial prowess, in particular, for "capturing the panic and gruesome mayhem without the film ever feeling exploitative." On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 82% on the Tomatometer and an 83% on the Popcornmeter.

Despite its shortcomings at the box office, Deepwater Horizon walked away with two Oscar nominations for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects, along with a BAFTA Film Award nod for Best Sound.

Be sure to watch this gripping drama with real-world consequences before it waves goodbye to Netflix on July 1, 2026.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 8:19 AM.