Since Netflix began its streaming services in 2007, the OTT platform has reshaped the way we consume content, allowing people access to a wide variety of add-free movies and shows globally. Besides producing original titles, the streaming giant is also building a promising lineup of movies to run parallel to its countless slate of TV shows. With captivating scripts originating from the most creative minds, the most-watched movies on Netflix span an array of genres, including satire, black comedy, romance, action and drama. Curious to know about the movies that surpass the most-viewed cut on Netflix? We have you covered.
Keeping its global reach in mind, Netflix has been releasing new content on almost a weekly basis. As per an October 2023 update by Forbes, Netflix had nearly 247.2 million global paid subscribers by the end of September 2023. Owing to its most-viewed movies, such as The Adam Project (2022) and The Mother (2023), which not only garnered extremely high viewership but also led to an increase in the number of Netflix subscribers.
Not to forget, the Gal Gadot starrer 2021 hit Red Notice, which remains the most-watched Netflix movie of all time. The action thriller has a staggering 454 million hours of viewership approximately.
These 12 most-watched Netflix movies deserve to be on your binge-list
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1 /12
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Cast: Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds
Hours watched: 454,200,000
Synopsis: An Interpol agent (Johnson) teams up with an art thief (Reynolds) to catch an extremely skilled criminal (Gadot) and try to prevent a heist. However, as lies and deceit pile up, the mission keeps getting increasingly complicated for the agent.
About the movie: The USD 200 million (INR 1650 crore approx.) action feature shattered opening day records for Netflix globally and earned an iconic 92 per cent audience score.
(Image credit: Netflix/Twitter)
2 /12
Directed by: Adam McKay
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill
Hours watched: 408,600,000
Synopsis: An astronomy grad student, Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) and her professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) must go on an immediate media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet; more so when the Mount Everest-sized comet has the capability of destroying planet Earth at any given time.
About the movie: This political satire dark comedy was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture at the Oscars 2022.
(Image credit: IMDb)
3 /12
Directed by: Susanne Bier
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich
Hours watched: 325,300,000
Synopsis: The movie opens five years after a mysterious force called the Infinity monster has decimated the population. As the remaining survivors struggle to live on limited resources while dodging it, they have to keep only one thing in mind, “If you see it, you die”. Under such a circumstance, will Malorie (Bullock) be able to take her two children to safety?
About the movie: This most-watched movie on Netflix now has a Spanish spin-off. Bird Box Barcelona released on the streaming platform on 14 July 2023.
(Image credit: IMDb)
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Cast: Daniel Craig, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Edward Norton
Hours watched: 320,300,000
Synopsis: World-famous detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) heads to Greece as a guest at tech billionaire Miles Bron’s (Norton) mansion. Upon arrival, Benoit meets Miles’ eclectic crew of friends. As people on the private island start dying, the guests and the host become suspects.
About the movie: Glass Onion was a nominee at the 2023 Academy Awards for the Best Adapted Screenplay category.
(Image credit: Netflix/Twitter)
5 /12
Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Dhanush, Ana de Armas
Hours watched: 299,500,000
Synopsis: When highly skilled CIA agent Sierra Six (Gosling) discovers a dark secret about his agency, he finds himself being hunted by a bloodthirsty former agent, Lloyd Hansen (Evans). With a team of assassins backing him up, Lloyd seems adamant to destroy whatever and whoever comes in his way of pursuing Six.
About the movie: The film is an adaptation of the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney.
(Image credit: Netflix/Twitter)
6 /12
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Zoe Saldaña, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell
Hours watched: 281,000,000
Synopsis: Time-travelling fighter pilot Adam Reed (Reynolds) accidentally navigates his spaceship into the past and crash-lands in 2022. There he meets his 12-year-old self (Scobell) and teams up with him on a mission to save the future.
About the movie: Ryan Reynolds wrote the heartbreaking scene between adult Adam and Ellie (Garner) as a tribute to his real-life mom, Tammy Reynolds.
(Image credit: Netflix/Twitter)
7 /12
Directed by: Sam Hargrave
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda
Hours watched: 266,900,000
Synopsis: A skilled gun-for-hire mercenary, Tyler Rake’s (Hemsworth) mission turns into a race against time when he’s sent to Bangladesh to extract a drug lord’s son, Ovi (Jaiswal), from kidnappers. Amidst blazing guns and family politics, will Tyler be able to complete his extraction of the little boy safely?
About the movie: After its global success, the movie’s producers were encouraged to create a sequel. Extraction 2 is set to premiere on Netflix on 16 June 2023.
(Image credit: Netflix/Twitter)
8 /12
Directed by: Sam Hargrave
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tinatin Dalakishvili, Olga Kurylenko, Tornike Bziava
Hours viewed: 278,700,000
Synopsis: Mercenary for hire, Tyler Rake (Hemsworth) is on his way to Georgia to rescue his clients Ketevan (Dalakishvili) and her children. The extraction is to be carried out from one of the world’s deadliest prisons, Tkachiri, where the victims are held captive by gangster Davit Radiani (Tornike Bziava).
(Image credit: Netflix)
9 /12
Directed by: Niki Caro
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick
Hours viewed: 265,900,000
Synopsis: When a retired army sniper (Lopez) is chased by ruthless criminals for revenge, she settles down in a remote location in Alaska. However, she is forced to come out of hiding after 12 years when her estranged daughter Zoe (Paez) is kidnapped by an enemy from her past.
About the film: This Jennifer Lopez starrer garnered 83.71 million hours on its opening weekend.
(Image credit: Netflix)
10 /12
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Pedro Pascal, YaYa Gosselin, Lyon Daniels, Andy Walken, Hala Finley
Hours viewed: 231,200,000
Synopsis: Master swordsman Marcus Moreno (Pascal) is a retired superhero who is raising his young daughter, Missy (Gosselin). When aliens kidnap Marcus as well as Earth’s other superheroes, Missy must team up with a group of superhero kids to save their parents and the world.
(Image credit: Netflix)
11 /12
Directed by: Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum
Cast: Sofia Carson, Nicholas Galitzine
Hours watched: 228,690,000
Synopsis: An aspiring musician Cassie (Carson) agrees to a marriage of convenience with a to-be-deployed US Marine (Galitzine). Soon, a tragedy strikes and turns their fake relationship into something deeper. Will the newlyweds be able to sustain their bond or turn into strangers once again?
About the movie: According to Netflix Tudum, the title of this romantic movie is an ode to the medal of solemn distinction, which is presented to injured or deceased US military members.
(Image credit: Netflix/Twitter)
12 /12
Directed by: Nora Fingscheidt
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Aisling Franciosi
Hours watched: 214,700,000
Synopsis: Ruth Slater (Bullock) seeks redemption after serving 20 years in prison for murdering a sheriff. As she tries to adjust to a society that refuses to forgive her, Ruth starts looking for her little sister Katherine Malcolm (Franciosi), whom she had left behind.
About the movie: The movie is a remake of the popular three-part British miniseries Unforgiven (2009).
(Image credit: IMDb)
Hero and featured image: Courtesy Netflix/Twitter
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQSs)
-What is the #1 most-watched film in Netflix history?
As per the streaming platform, the Gal Gadot and The Rock-starrer Red Notice (2021) is the most-watched film in the history of Netflix.
– What is currently #1 on Netflix?
As per the streaming platform, Netflix’s on-screen top 10 list is not static and is updated daily. The platform shows top titles in more than 90 countries and ranks them based on the total number of hours viewed for a given title.
A PhD research scholar, Sushmita is a full-time writer and a part time poet. Notepads are Sushmita's one true love -- the unbothered victims drowned in the ink of her pen. An avid fan of K-pop and K-dramas, she mostly writes about Korean culture and entertainment. When not writing, Sushmita is dancing, reading, collecting books, learning about fashion, art, motion pictures, and appreciating BTS.
