Right on cue, a dystopian cult classic stages its annual takeover of the streaming charts

Yesterday was the fifth of November, and the date has taken on greater impetus among comic book aficionados and lovers of blockbuster cinema in the 16 years since V for Vendetta was released.

In the United Kingdom, it’s always been an occasion for bonfires and fireworks to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day dating back a very long time, but the popularity of the cult classic actioner has seen fans all over the world mark it on their calendars annually.

Sure enough, the dystopian epic has awakened from its 364-day slumber to stage its annual takeover of the streaming charts, having resurfaced on the iTunes global rankings. Per FlixPatrol, V for Vendetta even managed to crack the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, so there was evidently a lot of people revisiting the chilling tale of societal oppression before heading out to enjoy the festivities.

That’s not to say V for Vendetta isn’t irrelevant every other day of the year, with the property finding itself in the headlines for the most unexpected of reasons recently when a crossover with prequel series Pennyworth: The Origins of Batman’s Butler captured the internet’s imagination for a hot minute.

A minor box office success at the time after earning $132 million, a 73 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and 90 percent user rating further enhances the film’s stellar reputation among both critics and at-home audiences, even if it’s perfectly acceptable and more than encouraged to watch V for Vendetta at any time, not just November 5. Clearly, though, that’s not something set to change anytime soon.