Robert Rodriguez's 1998 neo-western "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," the third instalment in his Mexico Trilogy, has found a new audience after becoming a streaming success on HBO Max nearly three decades after its cinema release. The film has been championed by Quentin Tarantino and follows the trajectory of Rodriguez's career, which began with the ultra-low-budget "El Mariachi" and grew into big-budget studio productions such as "Alita: Battle Angel".

The Mexico Trilogy started with "El Mariachi", reportedly made for just $7,225, before Rodriguez expanded the story with the studio-backed "Desperado" in 1995, starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. That film grossed nearly $60 million on a $7 million budget and holds a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Banderas's charisma despite a thin plot. "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" followed in 1998, and its current streaming resurgence highlights Rodriguez's enduring appeal and his successful pivot into the streaming era via his Troublemaker Studios.