Ron Howard’s “Eden” finally arrived in theaters in North America on August 22, 2025, after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 7, 2024, and earlier theatrical release in Germany on April 3, 2025. The film opened modestly, grossing just over $1 million in its opening weekend across 664 theaters in North America. This $55 million (production budget, reduced to $35 million net after Australian tax credits) survival thriller faced significant challenges both in distribution and reception.
The movie recounts a true story from the 1920s-30s about European settlers attempting to establish a utopian community on Floreana Island in the Galápagos, only for it to unravel amid jealousy, lust, and power struggles. The cast includes Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Jude Law, Sydney Sweeney, and Daniel Brühl. Despite the star-studded lineup and a gripping narrative tone—described as a darker, more savage chapter in Howard’s career—the critical reception was lukewarm with a 55% Rotten Tomatoes score, which hindered its box office momentum.
The film’s US distribution rights were picked up by Vertical Entertainment after a lengthy period without a distributor post-TIFF, opting for a 30-day exclusive theatrical release before moving to premium video on demand (PVOD). Overseas, the film found stronger footing through an Amazon Prime Video multi-territory deal, covering major markets like the UK, Canada, Australia, and several European countries, supported by international sales at Cannes that raised about $26 million.
Interestingly, this project was a longtime passion for Howard, inspired by a family trip to the Galápagos around 15 years ago. The story offers an offbeat, almost lurid survival drama with echoes of “Survivor” and “Lord of the Flies,” marked by Ana de Armas’s standout performance as a toxic baroness whose presence dominates the film’s tense dynamics.
Despite the commercial disappointment and the narrative’s grim departure from Howard’s usual uplift, “Eden” serves as a stark, anxiety-ridden exploration of human nature under pressure—dark, sometimes lurid, but undeniably watchable. It remains to be seen if its home-viewing run, buoyed by the cast and streaming deals, will grant it a second life beyond its theatrical stumble.
