Netflix Reveals Top 10 Most-Watched Original Movies

For years now, fans, critics, and press have been asking Netflix to release viewership numbers so that everyone could actually see how their favorite shows and movies are performing. The streaming service has never embraced the trend of making ratings and viewership public, save for the occasional brag about Stranger Things or Bright. That changed this week, at least a little bit, as Netflix unveiled the statistics behind its top 10 biggest original TV shows and movies over the last 12 months.

The report was published in The New York Times and listed out the most successful originals Netflix has delivered this year. Every Netflix user could probably guess that Stranger Things would be the most-watched TV show by quite a substantial margin, but the results were a little more surprising when it came to the list of biggest films.

Bird Box was the most-watched Netflix movie over the past year, thanks in large part to meme culture and social media trends. Films like Murder Mystery, Tall Girl, and Always Be My Maybe also made the Top 10 list.

Keep reading below to see which original Netflix films were the most-watched this year. (You can find the full list of most-watched TV shows here.)

1. Bird Box – 80 million

Bird Box was nothing short of a phenomenon when it was released in late 2018. Despite mixed reviews, the post-apocalyptic thriller became an instant conversation starter online, not to mention it took center stage in an onslaught of memes and gifs.

With Sandra Bullock leading a loaded cast and a premise that generated chatter amongst fans, Bird Box has amassed 80 million views over the course of its first year.

2. Murder Mystery – 73 million

The team of Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston proved to be a formidable one for Netflix, as their new movie was the second most-watched Netflix original over the last 12 months.

Murder Mystery is a comedy about a couple that get framed for murder while on a European vacation, and it should come as no surprise that Netflix has already ordered a sequel.

3. Triple Frontier – 52 million

Triple Frontier was definitely an expensive project for Netflix, but it looked like the gamble paid off. Director J.C. Chandor’s action thriller earned a whopping 52 million views since its debut on March 13th.

The major appeal of Triple Frontier, in addition to its big-budget quality, is its all-star cast, which consists of Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedland, and Pedro Pascal.

4. The Perfect Date – 48 million

Noah Centineo stormed onto the scene for his portrayal of heartthrob Peter in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before last year. Of course, Netflix made sure to capitalize on that attention and put Centineo at the forefront of a couple more projects.

The Perfect Date proved to be the most successful of the post-Boys Centineo vehicles with 48 million views since its launch in April.

5. Tall Girl – 41 million

It may not have the best reviews of the Netflix originals, but fans have certainly taken to Nzingha Stewart’s Tall Girl, which has 41 million views since its arrival last month.

Tall Girl follows Jodi, the tallest girl in her school, as she decides to own what makes her different and find confidence regardless of what other people say.

6. The Highwaymen – 40 million

The Highwaymen is billed as the “untold true story” of the detectives that tracked down and eventually stopped the infamous Bonnie and Clyde.

Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson starred in the period crime drama, which certainly added to its appeal for fans. More than 40 million people have watched The Highwayman since it arrived in March.

7. Secret Obsession – 40 million

It may have flown under the radar in terms of its advertising, but Secret Obsession has made plenty of waves with Netflix users since its arrival in July.

Brenda Song stars in Secret Obsession as a woman who returns home after an traumatic accident, still in danger because she doesn’t remember anything about her life.

8. Always Be My Maybe – 32 million

While seeing Secret Obsession on this list may have surprised you, there should be no such shock when it comes to the inclusion of Always Be My Maybe.

Ali Wong and Randall Park co-wrote and starred in the romantic comedy, which was largely adored by both critics and fans. Always Be My Maybe got a pretty massive boost in both viewership and online conversation thanks to the trailer spoiling its biggest surprise cameo: Keanu Reeves. 

9. Otherhood – 29 million

Moms owned Netflix this summer thanks to the streaming service’s sleeper hit comedy, Otherhood. Since its arrival in August, Otherhood has roped in nearly 30 million views.

The film stars Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman as three moms navigating their relationships with their adult sons.

10. Fyre – 20 million

Hulu tried to pull one over on Netflix early this year, releasing its own documentary about the disastrous Fyre Festival just three days before its rival. Unfortunately for Hulu, the move didn’t seem to slow Netflix down.

Fyre was a major trending topic on social media following the release of the Netflix doc and 20 million people have watched in since.