Those Who Wish Me Dead is back in the spotlight in September 2026, more than five years after Angelina Jolie’s action thriller first reached theaters and HBO Max. The Taylor Sheridan-directed movie has found a new audience on Netflix in the United States, where it recently climbed the service’s Top 10 movie rankings and renewed interest in its cast, story, ending and streaming availability.
The 2021 film combines a wilderness survival drama with a manhunt thriller. Jolie stars as Hannah Faber, a smoke jumper who is struggling with guilt after a disastrous rescue attempt. Her isolated existence changes when she encounters Connor Casserly, a 12-year-old boy fleeing through the Montana wilderness after witnessing the murder of his father.
With two professional assassins hunting Connor and a deliberately created wildfire spreading through the forest, Hannah is forced to confront both an immediate physical threat and the trauma that has followed her since her earlier failure.
Why Is the Movie Trending Again in 2026?
The movie’s latest popularity comes from its arrival back on Netflix in the United States.
The film returned to Netflix’s U.S. catalog on September 1, 2026, and quickly became one of the service’s most-watched licensed movies. Reports tracking Netflix’s daily rankings showed the thriller reaching the upper portion of the Top 10 during the first week of September.
That performance is notable because the movie was released in 2021 and did not become a major theatrical blockbuster. Its original release also occurred during a period when the movie industry was still dealing with the effects of the pandemic and changing theatrical and streaming habits.
Streaming has given the film a very different opportunity.
Netflix’s large U.S. subscriber base means that an older movie can suddenly reach millions of potential viewers without needing a traditional theatrical campaign. Jolie’s recognizable name, Sheridan’s growing reputation and the movie’s straightforward survival premise have all helped generate renewed interest.
The film was also available on Netflix in the past, but its return in September has given it another opportunity to find an audience.
What Is the Movie About?
The story begins with Owen Casserly, a forensic accountant who realizes that he has uncovered information dangerous enough to put his life and his son’s life at risk.
Owen understands that powerful people want the information destroyed. Rather than allowing Connor to remain exposed, he takes his son and attempts to reach safety.
Their journey eventually brings them to Montana, where Owen hopes that his brother-in-law Ethan Sawyer can help protect Connor.
The plan falls apart when assassins locate them.
Owen is killed, leaving Connor alone and frightened in unfamiliar wilderness.
Connor eventually encounters Hannah Faber, a smoke jumper stationed at a remote fire lookout. Hannah initially has no idea why the boy is being pursued. She only knows that a frightened child needs protection.
That simple decision changes the direction of her life.
As Hannah attempts to move Connor to safety, she discovers that the people pursuing him are willing to use extreme methods. Their plan includes deliberately starting a forest fire, turning the wilderness into a deadly trap.
The movie therefore creates two simultaneous threats: human enemies and an uncontrollable natural disaster.
Angelina Jolie’s Role as Hannah Faber
Angelina Jolie plays Hannah Faber, the emotional center of the movie.
Hannah is a smoke jumper, meaning she is trained to parachute into remote areas and fight wildfires. Her profession requires courage, physical strength and the ability to make difficult decisions under pressure.
However, Hannah begins the film in a vulnerable emotional state.
She has been deeply affected by an earlier wildfire in which she failed to save three people. The experience leaves her carrying guilt and questioning her own abilities.
Her assignment at a remote lookout tower gives her distance from other people. Rather than actively seeking another heroic opportunity, she appears to be trying to live quietly with what happened.
Connor changes that.
When Hannah realizes that the boy is being hunted, she has a choice: remain at a distance or become involved.
She chooses to protect him.
That decision becomes the central emotional arc of the movie because Hannah’s actions force her to confront the trauma she has spent much of the story trying to escape.
Finn Little Plays Connor
Finn Little portrays Connor Casserly, the young boy at the heart of the conspiracy.
Connor is not a traditional action hero. He is frightened, inexperienced and overwhelmed by circumstances far beyond his control.
His father gives him information that he does not fully understand and instructs him to protect it. Connor therefore becomes important to the people hunting him without necessarily understanding why.
His vulnerability is essential to the movie’s tension.
Hannah cannot simply defeat the people chasing Connor and walk away. She has to keep a frightened child alive while navigating dangerous terrain, fire and professional killers.
The relationship between Hannah and Connor gradually becomes one of trust.
For Hannah, Connor represents an opportunity to do what she could not do during the earlier tragedy that continues to haunt her.
The Main Supporting Cast
The movie features a strong supporting ensemble.
Jon Bernthal plays Ethan Sawyer, Connor’s uncle and a local sheriff who becomes involved in the effort to protect the boy. Ethan provides a connection between Connor’s family and Hannah’s increasingly dangerous situation.
Medina Senghore portrays Allison Sawyer, Ethan’s pregnant wife. Her character becomes directly involved in the confrontation after the assassins target the family.
Nicholas Hoult plays Patrick Blackwell, one of the two professional killers sent to eliminate Connor.
Aidan Gillen portrays Jack Blackwell, Patrick’s partner.
Jake Weber appears as Owen Casserly, Connor’s father, while Tyler Perry plays Arthur, a figure connected to the wider conspiracy.
The cast gives the movie recognizable faces across several different character groups, including the people trying to save Connor and those determined to silence him.
Who Are Patrick and Jack?
Patrick and Jack Blackwell are the assassins responsible for hunting Connor.
They are not motivated by personal revenge against the boy. Their mission is professional: locate Connor and eliminate the threat posed by what his father discovered.
Their calculated approach makes them especially dangerous.
Instead of simply searching the wilderness, they use violence and deception to narrow the search area. Their decision to start a wildfire demonstrates how far they are willing to go to complete the assignment.
Nicholas Hoult’s performance as Patrick is particularly different from many of his more familiar roles. Patrick is cold, focused and largely emotionless, creating a stark contrast with Hannah’s increasingly desperate attempts to save Connor.
The Importance of the Wildfire
Fire is more than a backdrop in the movie.
It is one of the story’s central forces.
The characters are already facing a dangerous manhunt when the wildfire begins spreading. Once the flames move through the forest, traditional escape routes disappear.
Smoke reduces visibility.
Heat makes movement difficult.
The terrain becomes unpredictable.
Communication becomes harder.
For Hannah, however, understanding fire is also an advantage.
Her professional experience gives her knowledge that Connor and the assassins do not necessarily possess. She understands how quickly conditions can change and how people can become trapped by seemingly safe areas.
This creates an unusual dynamic in the movie: the disaster threatening Hannah and Connor is also one of the few things that can help them escape their pursuers.
What Was Owen’s Secret?
One of the movie’s biggest mysteries concerns the information Owen discovered.
Owen worked as a forensic accountant and apparently uncovered financial or political wrongdoing that placed him in serious danger.
Before his death, he gives Connor written information and instructs him not to read it.
The film deliberately avoids providing a lengthy explanation of every detail behind the conspiracy.
That decision has generated discussion among viewers because the personal stakes surrounding Connor are much clearer than the precise nature of the evidence.
The important point is that Owen discovered something powerful enough to cause his boss to be targeted and force him and Connor to flee.
Connor’s possession of the information therefore makes him a liability to the people responsible for the conspiracy.
Those Who Wish Me Dead Ending Explained
The final act brings Hannah, Connor, Ethan, Allison and the assassins into the same increasingly dangerous environment.
Patrick and Jack continue searching for Connor while the wildfire spreads.
Hannah and Connor eventually face direct danger at the lookout tower. Ethan becomes involved in their escape attempt, while Allison is separately forced to defend herself.
The confrontation results in major losses.
Jack is killed by Allison, while Ethan suffers fatal injuries during the chaos.
Hannah and Connor ultimately have to survive the wildfire itself.
Rather than trying to outrun the flames indefinitely, they use a stream for protection and shelter underwater until the worst of the fire passes.
The survivors are eventually found after the fire subsides.
For Hannah, the ending carries significance beyond simply surviving another disaster.
She began the movie convinced that her previous failure had defined her. By risking her life to save Connor, she proves to herself that she can still protect someone when it matters.
Connor, meanwhile, survives despite losing his father and being pursued by killers.
The conclusion therefore works as both a survival ending and a redemption story.
Does Ethan Survive?
No.
Ethan’s fate is one of the movie’s more tragic developments.
He helps Hannah and Connor during the confrontation with the assassins but suffers serious injuries.
Allison ultimately finds him, but the conditions surrounding the wildfire make rescue extremely difficult.
The story strongly establishes that Ethan does not survive.
His death also raises the emotional cost of Connor’s escape because the boy loses another person who was trying to protect him.
Does Hannah Survive?
Yes.
Hannah survives the wildfire along with Connor.
The two characters hide underwater during the most dangerous portion of the fire and later return to the area where rescue crews can find them.
Hannah’s survival completes the character’s emotional journey.
She begins the movie isolated and consumed by guilt. By the end, she has accepted the responsibility of protecting another person despite knowing exactly how dangerous the situation has become.
Is There a Sequel?
There is currently no confirmed sequel to the movie.
The renewed Netflix popularity in September 2026 has generated fresh attention around the film, but streaming success does not automatically mean that a follow-up has been ordered.
The original story also reaches a fairly complete conclusion. Connor survives, Hannah survives and the central threat is removed.
Unless an official announcement is made by the relevant filmmakers or studio, claims about a second movie should be regarded as speculation.
Where Can You Watch It?
In the United States, the movie is currently available on Netflix, including the service’s Standard with Ads option, according to current streaming listings checked in September 2026.
The film is also available through digital rental and purchase services, including major online movie stores.
Because streaming licenses can change, availability may vary by country and can change without much notice.
For U.S. viewers specifically, however, Netflix’s current availability is a major reason the 2021 thriller has returned to public attention.
How Long Is the Movie?
The movie has a runtime of approximately 100 minutes.
That relatively compact length works in its favor because the story wastes little time establishing the central conflict.
Viewers quickly learn that Connor is in danger, Hannah becomes involved and the assassins are closing in.
The movie then moves between survival sequences, character development and action rather than stretching the central premise across an unusually long runtime.
Critical and Audience Response
The film received a mixed overall critical response when it was originally released, but audience reaction has been considerably stronger.
Its Rotten Tomatoes audience score is higher than its critics’ score, reflecting the movie’s appeal as an accessible action thriller even among viewers who may find weaknesses in the conspiracy storyline.
The current Netflix resurgence provides another indication that the movie has a lasting entertainment value.
Its premise is easy to understand, its star is internationally recognizable and its central action sequences are visually straightforward.
The combination makes it particularly suitable for streaming audiences looking for a movie that can be watched in a single evening.
Taylor Sheridan’s Influence
Taylor Sheridan’s reputation has changed considerably since 2021.
When the film was released, Sheridan was already known for projects such as Sicario, Hell or High Water, Wind River and Yellowstone. Since then, his television work has grown into a major entertainment franchise encompassing multiple series and genres.
That larger profile has given viewers another reason to revisit his earlier filmmaking.
The movie also reflects several characteristics associated with Sheridan’s storytelling: isolated landscapes, morally complicated characters, violence, survival and individuals caught inside systems much larger than themselves.
Although the film is not part of the Yellowstone universe, viewers familiar with Sheridan’s later television work may recognize some of the same storytelling instincts.
Why the Movie Is Finding a New Audience
The 2026 streaming revival demonstrates how the life of a movie can extend well beyond its original theatrical release.
A film that did not dominate the box office can become highly visible years later when it reaches a large streaming audience.
Several factors are working in favor of the movie.
First, Angelina Jolie remains one of Hollywood’s best-known stars.
Second, Taylor Sheridan’s reputation has grown considerably.
Third, Jon Bernthal, Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen give the cast additional recognition.
Finally, the premise is immediately understandable: a woman with specialist wildfire experience must protect a child while assassins pursue them through a burning forest.
That combination is particularly well suited to streaming recommendations and word-of-mouth viewing.
Final Verdict
The renewed popularity of Those Who Wish Me Dead in September 2026 shows that a movie does not need to become a major theatrical phenomenon to have a long entertainment life.
Angelina Jolie’s performance gives the story its emotional core, while Finn Little provides the vulnerability that drives the survival narrative. Jon Bernthal, Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen and Medina Senghore strengthen the supporting cast, and Taylor Sheridan’s direction keeps the action moving.
The film’s strongest element is the way it combines three forms of danger: professional assassins, an advancing wildfire and Hannah’s own unresolved trauma.
For viewers discovering the movie on Netflix in 2026, the film offers a fast-moving survival thriller with a recognizable cast, a dramatic wilderness setting and a self-contained conclusion.
Its return to the streaming conversation also provides an example of how older films can experience an entirely new phase of popularity when they become readily accessible to a new audience.
Key Points Summary
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║ – Angelina Jolie’s 2021 action thriller has returned to the spotlight on Netflix in September 2026. ║
║ – The movie follows smoke jumper Hannah Faber as she protects young Connor Casserly from two professional assassins. ║
║ – Taylor Sheridan directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay based on Michael Koryta’s novel. ║
║ – The cast includes Angelina Jolie, Finn Little, Jon Bernthal, Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen and Medina Senghore. ║
║ – The film’s renewed streaming popularity has pushed it into Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 movie rankings. ║
║ – Hannah and Connor survive the wildfire, while Ethan and the two assassins do not make it through the final confrontation. ║
║ – There is currently no confirmed sequel announcement despite the movie’s renewed popularity. ║
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