Remember when Netflix used to be just be the streaming service to watch old movies and shows? It was unheard of for the biggest stars in Hollywood to dedicate their time and energy to making a film specifically for Netflix. As the company grew bigger and competition increased from others such as Hulu, Max, and Prime Video, Netflix started to allocate more resources into original content and people have responded by watching these movies in binges.
In case you’re not as in the know as we are about the most popular Netflix movies, we have you covered. The most popular Netflix movies feature actors such as Leonardo DiCpario, Jennifer Lopez, and Ryan Reynolds. The theater is no longer the only destination for big pictures. These popular Netflix movies will have you addicted and excited for your next movie night.
NOTE: The list is ranked by views rather than by hours viewed. This helps to not give an advantage to longer movies. All numbers are taken from Netflix Tudum.
10. The Mother (2023)
9. We Can Be Heroes (2020)
8. Damsel (2024)
7. The Gray Man (2022)
The Gray Man represents Netflix’s ability to draw the biggest directors and actors in the world to their films more than almost any other on this list. Chris Evans, the Russo brothers, Ryan Gosling . . . what else can you ask for? This is another action movie following a CIA agent who knows something he shouldn’t and is going to pay the price. The film has been viewed 139,300,000 times since 2022.
6. Leave the World Behind (2023)
Leave the World Behind stands out from the pack because it’s one of Netflix’s only huge original post-apocalyptic dramas. Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke star in what could have been a by-the-book end of the world film but instead dives deep into the fears society possesses about lack of technology and loss of civilization. Leave the World Behind has been viewed 143,400,000 times.
5. Carry-On (2024)
Carry-On was the biggest movie of the Christmas season in 2024 and it’s not even all that festive. Maybe that’s the reason it has cashed in on 149,400,000 views so far. The movie stars Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman in the story of a TSA officer who gets embroiled in a fight for his life after discovering dangerous enemies aboard a flight.
4. Bird Box (2018)
3. The Adam Project (2022)
The Adam Project started out as a Tom Cruise movie under development in the 2010s, but it never materialized until Netflix took the reigns and released it with Ryan Reynolds a decade later. Directed by sci-fi veteran Shawn Levy, the story is heavy on corny 1980s adventure tropes as an adult man and his past self team up to save the world. The movie has 157,600,000 views on Netflix.
2. Don't Look Up (2021)
Don’t Look Up has to be the most critically acclaimed Netflix original film. Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, Adam McKay’s timely critique of conspiracy theorists and people who ignore warnings about the end of the world benefited from great performances by DiCaprio and Meryl Streep amongst its star-studded cast. The movie has 171,400,000 views over three years after its release.
1. Red Notice (2021)
