One of Netflix’s Most Watched Movies Ever Returns to Streaming (on a Rival Platform)

Netflix’s content catalog numbers in the thousands, but only a few titles have been crowned the “most watched” on the platform. Ever since the streamer rolled out its daily Top 10 feature in 2020, followed by the reveal of viewership data in 2023, subscribers have gotten keen insight into the most popular TV shows and movies on the platform. Just weeks after KPop Demon Hunters started its ongoing streaming dominance, one of Netflix’s most-watched movies ever left the platform – and it just reappeared on a rival service.

The Boss Baby, DreamWorks’ rotten blockbuster about a briefcase-carrying baby who teams up with his older brother to stop the CEO of Puppy Co. from destroying the balance of love in the world, was a surprise megahit on Netflix. The Alec Baldwin-led animated movie rose to become the most-watched film on the platform over a two-year period beginning in summer 2023. The movie abruptly stopped streaming on Netflix in August, and after a brief period of unavailability, parents can now press play on the movie (perhaps unhappily) after it started streaming on Peacock. The movie joined the NBCUniversal streamer’s growing library of DreamWorks titles, including The Boss Baby: Family Business, on February 1st.

The Boss Baby Was a Disastrous Success

Play video

DreamWorks is known for producing heartfelt, character-driven films that win over adults and children alike, but The Boss Baby simply wasn’t one of them. The movie’s 53% critic score puts it at No. 42 on Rotten Tomatoes’ overall ranking of all of DreamWorks’s 50 films. The Boss Baby struggled to balance its child-friendly antics with adult-oriented jokes and really feels like a weak story without much substance. The premise of Baby Corp is bizarre and at times feels overstuffed, and the film’s humor relies too heavily on tiresome baby-related puns and potty humor. Even the characters are unpleasant at best, making it difficult to invest in what could have been a sentimental story of brotherhood.

Read Next

10 Best Netflix Movies You’ve Never Even Heard Of

None of that stopped The Boss Baby from charting a path of massive success. The movie grossed $528 million worldwide against a $125 million budget, earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, and ultimately launched a franchise of movies, short films, and TV specials. It’s also proven to be a major streaming hit, accounting for more than 221 million views (up to 327 million when also considering other titles in the franchise) over a two-year period on Netflix. While that may seem surprising given just how bad The Boss Baby is, the relatable sibling rivalry at the heart of the film, ironic humor, and strong, colorful animation gives the movie a high rewatch factor among children.

What’s New on Peacock?

Parents may understandably be a bit hesitant to resume repeat viewings of The Boss Baby now that it’s on Peacock, but the streamer thankfully has a few other family-friendly options. February 1st brought Trolls to the platform, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie is set to arrive on February 3rd. Outside of family-friendly fare, the NBCUniversal streamer is now also streaming hits like The ‘Burbs (1989), How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, and Man On Fire.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!