Reviving ‘Popstar’ on Netflix: Let’s Give This Lonely Island Movie the Recognition It Deserves

Attention, Quaid Army! The time has finally arrived. The hilarious movie Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping can now be enjoyed on Netflix. Your task, dear quaids, is to help give this brilliant comedy from Lonely Island a well-deserved second chance on the streaming platform. It would indeed be a commendable achievement. (If you’re a bit lost and need some context, consider tuning in to The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast for a good laugh.)

Crafted by the trio of comedy geniuses from Lonely Island, including Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone, and helmed by Schaffer and Taccone, Popstar stands out as one of the finest comedies of the 2010s, if not all time. It cleverly parodies the self-absorbed nature of musician documentaries, with Samberg portraying Connor4Real, an egotistical pop sensation who goes solo after departing from his boy band (portrayed by Schaffer and Taccone). The film is packed with amusing cameos from real-life musicians such as Ringo Starr, Usher, Akon, Nas, Snoop Dogg, among others, and features catchy original songs by Lonely Island like “Finest Girl,” “Equal Rights,” and “Mona Lisa.” The comedy hits its mark consistently, with every moment on screen contributing to the humor. Moreover, it delivers a heartwarming narrative on achievement, camaraderie, and creative teamwork, mirroring the journey of the talented individuals behind Lonely Island.

While the movie received positive reviews from critics and garnered a strong following among comedy enthusiasts, it unfortunately struggled during its theatrical release in 2016. At the time, mid-budget comedies were overshadowed by the dominance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the resurgence of Star Wars reboots. Samberg later expressed his belief that the film was inaccurately marketed solely as a Justin Bieber spoof, rather than a broader satire on music documentaries. Regardless of the cause, Popstar faltered at the box office, earning less than $10 million worldwide and being classified as a commercial disappointment.

But there’s still hope. Now and then, a clip from the movie still goes viral on social, and fans lament how criminally under-rated the Popstar masterpiece is. Clearly, there’s still an appetite for the film online, and now it’s available to stream on the most popular streaming service, aka Netflix.

Movies that fail to make a splash at the box office can thrive on streaming. Sometimes, movies can do so well that it even convinces studios to take another look at films written off as a financial disappointment. That’s what happened to 2018’s A Simple Favor, after all, which did OK at the box office, but really took off when it began streaming on Netflix. Another Simple Favor director Paul Feig recently told IndieWire that the first movie’s high viewership on Netflix was one of the reasons the sequel was ordered up for Amazon.

Yes, Popstar has been on streaming before, and yes, the movie is almost 10 years old at this point. But this time, we have a secret weapon: The loyal Quaid Army. C’mon, quaids. Who’s a Kuato gotta blow around here to get Popstar trending on Netflix’s Top 10 movies list?

Watch Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping on Netflix.