Austin Butler and Zoë Kravitz’s new crime thriller Caught Stealing is picking up traction after its digital release. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film follows ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (played by Austin Butler), caught in a dangerous struggle for survival in 1990s New York City. Alongside paramedic girlfriend Yvonne (played by Zoë Kravitz), Hank must survive gangsters who all want a piece of him. Caught Stealing is in the top ten for iTunes movie rentals across the whole platform, with Weapons sitting at number one; Austin Butler’s crime thriller is at ten. Unfortunately, the film fell short of expectations and ultimately failed to earn a profit. Against the $40 million budget, the 2025 action movie grossed $31.1 million worldwide at the box office. Its breakeven point to make a profit was $100 million.
How Streaming Saved Caught Stealing From Being Forgotten

Darren Aronofsky Caught StealingNiko Tavernise / © Sony Pictures Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection

Caught Stealing is based on the violent crime novel of the same name, written by Charlie Huston in 2004, and was adapted for the screen by Huston. The film pays homage to the 1990s with iconic imagery and soundtrack. The movie got rave reviews, despite its poor performance at the box office, and is said to have kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Luckily, the crime thriller got a new lease on life as it was released on streaming services for those who couldn’t watch it in theaters. Caught Stealing received great reviews and has an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many hailing Austin Butler and Zoë Kravitz’s performances. The cast is quite impressive with even more notable names, including Regina King, Matt Smith, and artist Bad Bunny. Austin Butler is known for embracing method acting lately, with his most notable role being as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (2022). Director Darren Aronofsky is known for his unusual films such as Requiem for a Dream (2000), Black Swan (2010), and Mother! (2017). His films are either destined for the Oscars or leave fans puzzled and unable to think of anything else for weeks. To fail at the box office isn’t uncommon, as streaming is taking over how people view movies. It appears as though Caught Stealing, unfortunately, fell casualty to this and didn’t meet expectations at the box office, but instead is finding new life by climbing the streaming charts since its digital release.

Release Date

August 29, 2025

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Writers

Charlie Huston

Producers

Ari Handel, Jeremy Dawson