The most pirated movies of 2022, from Spider-Man: No Way Home to The Batman
US theatrical release date: November 24, 2021
The 10 Most Pirated Movies
The list of movies favored by BitTorrent-using pirates is in constant flux. This is where we keep up, with a weekly look at the top 10.
By Eric Griffith
Eric Griffith
Senior Editor, Features
My Experience
I’ve been writing about computers, the internet, and technology professionally for over 30 years, more than half of that time with PCMag. I run several special projects including the Readers’ Choice and Business Choice surveys, and yearly coverage of the Best ISPs and Best Gaming ISPs, plus Best Products of the Year and Best Brands. I work from my home, and did it long before pandemics made it cool.
& Chandra Steele
Chandra Steele
Senior Features Writer
My Experience
My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme.
Updated August 24, 2020
https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-10-most-pirated-movies
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TorrentFreak’s most pirated movies list is an excellent gauge of popular movies, as well as the Hollywood zeitgeist. Strong women with guns are the new favorites in the list this week, including Jessica Chastain as Ava and Megan Fox in Rogue. They’re joined by the sensitive gorilla Ivan in The One and Only Ivan, while super-powers-via-drugs action from Project Power remains the most downloaded film.
10. Sputnik
This Russian horror movie involves an incident in space in the 1980s that impacts the returned cosmonauts and investigators here on Earth.
9. The Secret Garden
A new version of the classic novel (the fourth on film) stars Colin Firth as the uncle taking in an orphan who finds a (SPOILER ALERT) secret garden on his estate.
8. Magic Camp
Rival magicians compete to train newbies to win the Top Hat Competition. You can find this one on Disney+. Weirdly, it also stars Jeffrey Tambor, but lest you think all is forgiven, this film’s been on a shelf since 2017.
7. Tesla
Ethan Hawke plays Nikola Tesla in this IFC film, which premiered at Sundance and delves into his competition with Edison (Kyle MacLachlan) as each tries to get their electrical system out to the public.
6. The One and Only Ivan
A Disney+ Original, The One and Only Ivan follows a CGI silverback gorilla raised by Bryan Cranston to be the star of the circus, yet he has the soul of an artiste. The animals can all talk; expect an escape and some Disney brand synergy.
5. Greyhound
Tom Hanks is sad this movie bypassed theaters and debuted on Apple TV+, so maybe he’d be happy his WWII boat captain thriller is out there being pirated. Probably not.
4. Tax Collector
Shia LaBeouf (a cannibal) is back, in a shoot-em-up film the LA Times calls “atrocious.”
3. Ava
Jessica Chastain plays Ava, a seductive hit-woman with a chatty streak that gets her in trouble with the bosses, enough for her to become the hunted one.
2. Rogue
No, it’s not about Marvel’s X-(wo)man. Instead, Megan Fox is stepping up as an action/horror-film lead playing a mercenary who has to fight some lions.
1. Project Power
The new Netflix Original, which could have been a summer tent-pole film, is about people who can get superpowers for an hour from a pill—but they don’t know what the power will be. It stars Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
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Table of Contents
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Further Reading
TRENDING
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About Eric Griffith
Senior Editor, Features
I’ve been writing about computers, the internet, and technology professionally for over 30 years, more than half of that time with PCMag. I run several special projects including the Readers’ Choice and Business Choice surveys, and yearly coverage of the Best ISPs and Best Gaming ISPs, plus Best Products of the Year and Best Brands. I work from my home, and did it long before pandemics made it cool.
Read the latest from Eric Griffith
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About Chandra Steele
Senior Features Writer
My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme.
I strive to explain topics that you might come across in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve had the pleasure of talking tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other celebrities who have brought a different perspective to it. I put great care into writing gift guides and am always touched by the notes I get from people who’ve used them to choose presents that have been well-received. Though I love that I get to write about the tech industry every day, it’s touched by gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality and I try to bring these topics to light.
Read the latest from Chandra Steele
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The most pirated movies of 2022, from ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ to ‘The Batman’
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- Piracy was a hot-button issue for movies that were released simultaneously to theaters and streaming services in 2021.
- Theater execs complained that the strategy made piracy easier and ate into a movie’s box office.
- In 2022, the major Hollywood studios have largely moved away from the strategy, and are reaping the box-office rewards.
- But movies are still swiftly pirated once they become available online, which in many cases is faster than it was before the pandemic, as theatrical windows have been shortened.
- Insider turned to the piracy-tracking website Torrent Freak for the top movies that have been pirated each week of the year so far (the dates reflect piracy over the previous seven days).
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“The Matrix Resurrections” — January 3
Was it online at the time? Streaming on HBO Max (also in theaters)
US theatrical release date: December 22, 2021
US opening weekend box office: $10.7 million
Total US box office: $37.7 million
Total global box office: $156 million
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“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” — January 10
Was it online at the time? Available for digital rental January 4
US theatrical release date: November 19, 2021
US opening weekend box office: $44 million
Total US box office: $129 million
Total global box office: $197 million
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“Eternals” — January 17 and January 24
Was it online at the time? Streaming on Disney+ January 12
US theatrical release date: November 5, 2021
US opening weekend box office: $71.3 million
Total US box office: $164.9 million
Total global box office: $402 million
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“The 355” — January 31
Was it online at the time? No, in theaters
US theatrical release date: January 7, 2022
US opening weekend box office: $4.6 million
Total US box office: $14 million
Total global box office: $27.7 million
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“House of Gucci” — February 7
Was it online at the time? Available for digital rental February 1
US theatrical release date: November 24, 2021
US opening weekend box office: $14.4 million
Total US box office: $53.8 million
Total global box office: $154.8 million
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“The King’s Man” — February 14 and February 28
Was it online at the time? Available on Hulu and for digital rental February 18
US theatrical release date: December 22, 2021
US opening weekend box office: $5.9 million
Total US box office: $37 million
Total global box office: $125.9 million
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“Scream” — February 21
Was it online at the time? No, in theaters (available for digital rental March and to stream on Paramount+ March 8)
US theatrical release date: January 14, 2022
US opening weekend box office: $30 million
Total US box office: $81.6 million
Total global box office: $140 million
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“Blacklight” — March 7
Was it online at the time? Available for digital rental March 3
US theatrical release date: February 11, 2022
US opening weekend box office: $3.5 million
Total US box office: $9.6 million
Total global box office: $15 million
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“Spider-Man: No Way Home” — March 14, March 21, March 28, April 11
Was it online at the time? Available for digital rental March 15
US theatrical release date: December 17, 2021
US opening weekend box office: $260 million
Total US box office: $804 million
Total global box office: $1.89 billion
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“Moonfall” — April 4
Was it online at the time? Available for digital rental April 1
US theatrical release date: February 4, 2022
US opening weekend box office: $9.9 million
Total US box office: $19 million
Total global box office: $44.3 million
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