Apple TV has quietly turned the 2001 biographical drama A Beautiful Mind into an unexpected hit, adding it to its streaming library as part of a small but significant shift towards offering older films rather than sticking solely to original productions. The film, starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly, has climbed into the platform's top 10, holding its own against newer releases such as The Gorge and F1, and reflects a broader strong run for Apple TV this year across both new and library content.

The drama, based on Sylvia Nasar's biography of mathematician John Nash, was directed by Ron Howard from a script by Akiva Goldsman and won multiple Oscars, including Best Picture, in 2002. Its arrival follows Apple TV recently adding other older titles, including I, Robot, after previously restricting its catalogue to originals. The streamer's current line-up is also being buoyed by strong performances from sci-fi series Silo, wrapping its third season with a confirmed fourth and final season next summer, and the recently returned Dark Matter, based on Blake Crouch's novel.