‘Flight Risk’ Becomes HBO Max’s Latest Streaming Sensation as Mark Wahlberg’s Extreme Transformation Goes Viral

Key Points

• Flight Risk debuted on HBO Max on November 26, 2025, and quickly shot to the platform’s #1 global spot.
• Mark Wahlberg’s unsettling physical transformation — including shaving his head daily — has become a major talking point.
• The film marks Mel Gibson’s return to directing after a nine‑year hiatus.
• Despite losing $48 million during its theatrical run, the thriller has found new life on streaming.
• Critics remain divided, but audiences are embracing the film’s chaotic, claustrophobic energy.

A Streaming Comeback for a Theatrical Misfire

HBO Max has scored an unexpected hit with Flight Risk, the high‑intensity action thriller that struggled at the box office but is now dominating the streamer’s global charts. The film, which premiered on November 26, 2025, stars Mark Wahlberg as a deranged Alaskan bush pilot — a role that required one of the most dramatic physical transformations of his career.

The 91‑minute thriller also marks Mel Gibson’s first directorial effort in nearly a decade, signaling a bold stylistic shift from his previous large‑scale epics.

Wahlberg’s Extreme Makeover Becomes the Film’s Defining Image

Wahlberg’s appearance has become the centerpiece of the film’s viral buzz. Rather than using prosthetics or a bald cap, the actor shaved his head every single day of production.

“There was no bald cap,” Wahlberg told People. “I shaved the middle and left the horseshoe around the sides. We just shaved it.”

Paired with protruding teeth, bulging eyes, and an unhinged performance, Wahlberg’s transformation has captivated — and unsettled — viewers. His character, Daryl Booth, pilots a small Cessna carrying a Deputy U.S. Marshal and a mob witness, only for the passengers to discover he’s secretly working for the criminals.

What begins as a routine transport quickly spirals into a deadly mid‑air power struggle.

A Claustrophobic Thriller Built for Streaming Audiences

Gibson’s approach is intentionally stripped down, confining nearly the entire film to the cramped cockpit of a small aircraft. The minimalist setting stands in stark contrast to his past directorial work, such as Braveheart.

Michelle Dockery stars as Deputy U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris, tasked with escorting Topher Grace’s anxious white‑collar fugitive. When Booth reveals his true identity as a mob hitman, the film becomes a tense cat‑and‑mouse battle at 10,000 feet — with corruption inside Harris’s own agency complicating the stakes.

Critics noted that while the screenplay hits familiar beats, Gibson’s direction creates genuine suspense within the confined environment.

Mixed Reviews, Massive Viewership

Flight Risk currently holds a 29% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers citing uneven writing and tonal whiplash. But audiences have embraced the film’s chaotic energy, pulpy violence, and Wahlberg’s grotesque villainy — elements that play especially well in the streaming environment.

Dockery’s grounded performance and Grace’s sarcastic commentary have also earned praise, helping balance Wahlberg’s over‑the‑top menace. At just 91 minutes, the film avoids bloat and maintains a relentless pace.

Why Streaming Saved a Box Office Bomb

The film’s theatrical run was a financial disaster, losing $48 million for Lionsgate. But its overnight success on HBO Max underscores a major shift in viewer behavior.

What failed to justify premium ticket prices has become ideal late‑night streaming fare — a wild, unpredictable thriller that demands little and delivers pure adrenaline.

For Lionsgate, the film’s streaming resurgence offers unexpected redemption. For Gibson, it marks a notable return to directing in a landscape where streaming can revive projects that falter in theaters.

What Happens Next?

With Flight Risk dominating HBO Max’s charts, industry watchers will be looking to see whether the film’s viral momentum leads to renewed interest in Gibson’s directing career — or sparks conversations about future collaborations with Wahlberg.