‘Contagion’ Streams Have Skyrocketed Due To People Buggin’ Out About Coronavirus

contagion

Warner Bros.


Contagion. Remember Contagion? I’d understand if you didn’t — from what I remember it was quite dull and the general audience seems to agree, as the movie’s 63% user score is far lower than its 84% critics score (although Golf Guy Mark seems to “remember the ending of that movie being pretty wild”, so take that for what it’s worth).

Directed by the guy who made the Ocean’s Eleven trilogy and Magic MikeContagion is a 2011 film that “follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that originates in Hong Kong and kills within days” and stars an absolutely stacked ensemble cast that includes Marion Cotillard, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Winslet.

“As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart,” the film’s official synopsis reads.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because we’re currently living it (albeit on a much smaller and less terrifying scale) right now as the public tries to wrap their heads around what’s happening with the coronavirus in China.

And due to that current mini-panic, people have begun revisiting the 2011 film, as reports indicate that Contagion has cracked Top 10 on the iTunes movie rental chart this week.

Now, watching a movie about a deadly virus outbreak while the origins of a deadly virus seem to be unfolding in real life isn’t the route your boy is taking, different stroke for different folks, ya know? Especially if that ole doomsday clock is ticking a little quicker than usual.

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Eric is a New York City-based writer who still isn’t quite sure how he’s allowed to have this much fun for a living and will tell anyone who listens that Gotham City is canonically in New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter @eric_ital for movie and soccer takes or contact him eric@brobible.com

Eric Italiano BroBIble avatar
Eric Italiano is a NYC-based writer who spearheads BroBible's Pop Culture and Entertainment content. He covers topics such as Movies, TV, and Video Games, while interviewing actors, directors, and writers.