Ridley Scott’s $45.4 Million Road Trip Thriller Cruises Onto a Free Streamer Next Month

Ridley Scott is hardly the person one would associate with a chick flick, but the fact is, he made one of the genre’s very best. For a man who loves exploring the sci-fi realm with favorites such as Alien and Blade Runner or flipping through the pages of history with The Duelists and Gladiator, it’s lowkey shocking the first time you realize that he’s also the visionary behind the beloved Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon-led girl power classic, Thelma & Louise. A powerhouse of cinema packed into just over two hours, the roadtrip drama is not only one of the genre’s best, but it’s also an absolute decade staple, encapsulating everything we love about ‘90s cinema. Soon, audiences will have the chance to tag along for the ride with the titular protagonists when Thelma & Louise cruises onto free streaming service Tubi on February 1.

There are plenty (some might say too many) male-centered buddy comedy flicks out there, with Thelma & Louise being a much-needed switch up from the typical archetype. The best of friends, Thelma (Davis) and Louise (Sarandon) embark on a road trip together through the great American Southwest where they run into plenty of trouble and end up in a standoff against the police, who are hot on their trail after one of their small town stopovers gets them into hot water. At its core, the movie, which was penned by Callie Khouri (Nashville), is all about the strong bonds between women and the shared experiences that connect us for life.

Not only does Thelma & Louise feature the absolutely dynamite leading talents of Davis and Sarandon, but it also shows off incredible supporting work from the likes of Harvey Keitel, Christopher McDonald, Michael Madsen, and Brad Pitt in one of his earliest roles that would spark his now decades-long career. Quickly becoming a success, the movie more than covered its production budget of $16.5 million with a total box office haul of $45.4 million. It also landed a whopping six nominations at that year’s Academy Award celebrations, with Khouri taking home the trophy for Best Original Screenplay.

What’s Next for Ridley Scott?

Thelma & Louise stands out as a one-of-a-kind in the career of Scott, who immediately went back to his love of sci-fi, military, and historical dramas following the film’s success. After welcoming Gladiator II into the arena in 2024, the director has largely stayed silent, but will soon return to the fold with The Dog Stars. Slated for a release later this year, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi flick takes its story from Peter Heller’s novel of the same name and is set to star Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, and Josh Brolin.

Head over to Tubi on February 1 to stream Thelma & Louise.

Release Date

May 24, 1991

Runtime

130 Minutes

Writers

Callie Khouri

Producers

Mimi Polk Gitlin