Netflix’s Biggest Movie of 2024 Is Now Their #2 Movie of All Time

Netflix’s high-octane thriller Carry-On has soared to astonishing new heights, officially becoming the second most-watched original movie in the streaming giant’s history. The film, which hit the platform in December 2024, has captivated a global audience, pulling in a massive 172,100,000 views as of the latest data by Netflix. This impressive feat places it just behind the star-studded action-comedy Red Notice, which still holds the top spot, boosted by the combined star power of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. Carry-On‘s rapid ascent up the all-time charts underscores a significant win for Netflix, demonstrating the film’s widespread appeal and staying power among subscribers worldwide.

According to Netflix, Red Notice continues to lead the pack with an impressive 230,900,000 views and 454,200,000 hours viewed. It’s unlikely Carry-On could ever surpass Red Notice, but the thriller has been steadily climbing the ladder, adding more than 10,000 new views since January 2025. These new views allowed Carry-On to take over the satirical disaster film Don’t Look Up, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, which garnered 171,400,000 views (though it boasts a higher hours viewed at 408,600,000 due to its longer runtime of 2:23).

[RELATED: Carry-On 2: Director Reveals if There Will Be a Sequel as Thriller Enters Netflix’s Most Popular Movies of All Time List]

The fourth position belongs to Ryan Reynolds-led sci-fi adventure The Adam Project with 157,600,000 views, meaning that Carry-On will only be dethroned when a new hit arrives on Netflix, as older releases tend to be less watched as time goes by. The Sandra Bullock-led post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box, an earlier viral sensation for Netflix, rounds up the top five, holding 157,400,000 views. The ability of Carry-On to climb above such established hits, many of which benefited from massive marketing campaigns and ensemble casts packed with A-list celebrities, underlines the appeal of its compelling narrative.

Why Carry-On Gripped Global Audiences

The remarkable viewership numbers for Carry-On can be attributed to a combination of a high-stakes premise and expert execution in a popular genre. The film stars Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek, a young TSA agent who finds himself in an impossible situation on Christmas Eve. He is blackmailed by a mysterious and ruthless traveler, played by Jason Bateman, into allowing a dangerous package onto a flight. This central conflict immediately establishes a ticking-clock scenario, a hallmark of successful thrillers. The Christmas Eve setting adds an ironic and heightened emotional backdrop to the unfolding drama, often drawing comparisons to action classics like Die Hard.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, known for his work on Black Adam and Jungle Cruise, Carry-On delivers on the suspense and thrills promised by its premise. Collet-Serra’s experience in the genre, thanks to movies like The Commuter and Run All Night, also helps him craft a narrative that maintains a grip on the audience through well-paced action sequences and a focus on the cat-and-mouse dynamic between Egerton’s and Bateman’s characters. Furthermore, Carry-On taps into the enduring popularity of the action-thriller genre, which consistently performs well on streaming platforms by offering entertainment with broad appeal. 

Carry-On is currently available on Netflix. 

What did you find most compelling about Carry-On? Let us know in the comments!