Netflix restricts Groundhog Day on ad-supported tier

Collider reports that Netflix has barred the 1993 film Groundhog Day from its ad-supported tier this month, placing the movie among roughly 145 titles excluded from that plan; the film remains available to subscribers on non-ad-supported tiers.

Originally released in 1993, Groundhog Day is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies and is praised for its weighty philosophical themes delivered with a deft touch. The film stars Bill Murray, with Andie MacDowell and Stephen Tobolowsky also appearing, and was the final Murray–Harold Ramis collaboration before their long feud; the pair reconciled years later, shortly before Ramis' death in 2014. The movie grossed over $100 million worldwide against a reported $30 million budget and holds a "certified fresh" 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads, "Smart, sweet, and inventive, Groundhog Day highlights Murray's dramatic gifts while still leaving plenty of room for laughs."

The film's time-loop structure has influenced later high-concept films such as The Truman Show, About Time, Palm Springs, Edge of Tomorrow and Source Code, and its legacy continues even as related titles perform well on PVOD charts. For now, Groundhog Day is only streaming to Netflix subscribers on non-ad-supported plans.

Key Topics

Culture, Groundhog Day, Netflix, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Ad-supported Tier