Gerard Butler's 2011 war drama Machine Gun Preacher, once dismissed as a box office flop, has found new life as a streaming hit years after its cinema release. Its resurgence comes at a time when Butler's status as a bankable action star has been questioned following recent box office misfires, making this belated success a notable turnaround for one of his more personal projects.

The film, co-starring Michelle Monaghan and based on the true story of a former gang member turned armed missionary, earned an Official Selection slot at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival but grossed just $3 million theatrically. Butler's 2026 has otherwise been rocky, with Greenland 2: Migration—a costly $90 million sci-fi pivot for the disaster franchise co-starring Morena Baccarin—failing to recoup even half its budget, while he has also been filming the much-anticipated live-action How to Train Your Dragon sequel, due in cinemas on 11 June 2027.