YouTubers and Hollywood have a complicated relationship. For every rare success, there’s a graveyard of failed attempts. This year, Dude Perfect, the six trick-shot legends with 61 million followers on YouTube, brought their special “A Very Long Shot” to Disney+ and ESPN. It seemed like a perfect fit for their sports-centric brand and audience. Instead, the show didn’t crack the Top 10 on Nielsen or even Disney+’s Top 25.

What happened?

Two things. First, YouTube is free. The Dude Perfect audience isn’t conditioned to follow their favorite creators to paid streaming platforms. Second, those big YouTube numbers are global—only about 10% of followers are U.S.-based. For Dude Perfect, that translates to 6 million domestic fans, and once you factor in bots or casual viewers, it’s clear the numbers don’t add up for Hollywood.

They aren’t alone.

Lilly Singh flamed out with A Little Late With Lilly Singh. Lucas Cruikshank (Fred: The Show), David Dobrik (Discovering David Dobrik), and Rosanna Pansino (Baketopia) all struggled to transition beyond YouTube. Even Hannah Hart (I Hart Food) and Grace Helbig (The Grace Helbig Show) couldn’t translate their digital magic into mainstream success. Audiences who swiped, clicked, and scrolled didn’t stick around for longer, polished content. Here’s the complete list on Reelay.

And yet, there are exceptions. Jake Paul’s Netflix fight with Tyson Fury shattered records because it was an event. Issa Rae made the leap to HBO with Insecure, though even that was canceled after two seasons. The common thread? Spectacle and appointment TV.

That brings us to MrBeast.

Unlike Dude Perfect or the others, MrBeast thrives on scale. His stunts are global, viral events—giving away islands, recreating Squid Game, and hosting jaw-dropping challenges that feel made for Prime Video. His audience isn’t just huge—it’s everywhere, and Amazon has the global reach to capitalize on it.

But the risk remains. MrBeast’s audience is conditioned for short, explosive content they can consume for free. Long-form streaming requires commitment. Will his fans tune in when it’s no longer a 10-minute video but a polished, expensive series?

Hollywood wants YouTubers for their numbers, but those numbers are slippery. For now, creators like Dude Perfect serve as a cautionary tale. They soared on YouTube but faltered where it mattered. MrBeast is Hollywood’s next big test, and while his chances are better, the question remains:

Will this be another flop, or will MrBeast finally break the curse?

Long-form is a commit. Short-form is a swipe. The difference matters.

What do you think? Can MrBeast succeed where others failed, or are YouTubers destined to stay on YouTube?