Summary

• Netflix measures popularity uniquely with "starters," "watchers," and "completers" categories.
• Character-driven movies like "Damsel" with big stars, like Millie Bobby Brown, gain huge audiences on Netflix.
• Audiences still flock to Netflix despite mixed reviews, with movies like "Rebel Moon" amassing over 165 million views.

The original streaming giant Netflix has hundreds upon thousands of programs available to stream from the comfort of the couch, and the Netflix most watched movies of all time shows just how popular some of these titles are. While the Top Ten feature on Netflix gives s some idea of what is popular, it only chronicles what's being watched that week, and is not necessarily the most-watched of all time. The streaming service has always kept how it measures viewership close to the chest, forgoing the familiar network TV Nielsen Rating system.

How Netflix measures its viewership is an entirely unique system because its main source of revenue is subscription-based rather than ad-based. Netflix separates its subscriber base into "starters," "watchers," and "completers," to determine how to best move forward. This is how certain movies that may be critically mixed but beloved by audiences can end up in a "most-watched" category, as "watchers," are categorized as people who only watch one full episode of a series or 70% of a film. The Netflix most watched movies are an example of what audiences love, or perhaps what was the best promoted (as per FlixPatrol).

30 Day Shift (2022)

149,810,000 Hours Viewed

Jamie Foxx starred in the Netflix original vampire hunting movie Day Break in 2022. The film sees Foxx starring as a blue-collar father who pretends to be a pool cleaner, but that is just a front for his vampire-hunting gig. However, he was previously blacklisted from the vampire hunting union and a friend (Snoop Dogg) helps him get back in on a probationary status.

The movie received mixed reviews, with Foxx's comedy timing a positive.

The movie received mixed reviews, with Foxx's comedy timing a positive. While there are a lot of darker more violent vampire movies on Netflix, this one provided a more entertaining experience, which likely resulted in its 149 million viewed hours.

29 You People (2023)

150,160,000 Hours Viewed

There was a lot going for You People when it dropped on Netflix. Kenya Barris was the writer and director, following his successful stint on the ABC sitcom black-ish. The story approached a similar racial feel as that show, with a white Jewish man dating a Black NOI woman.

However, the conflict in this movie was not between them as much as it was between their families, which included huge names, including David Duchovny, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Nia Long, and Eddie Murphy. It might be Murphy's rare acting appearance that helped push this comedy to over 150 million hours viewed on Netflix.

28 Me Time (2022)

150,590,000 Hours Viewed

Me Time is proof that even movies with lackluster critical reviews can find success on Netflix if the stars are big enough. This was released in 2022 and ended up as one of the most watched movies on Netflix even with a low seven percent Rotten Tomatoes score. Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg star as childhood friends who meet up every year and have since Sonny (Hart) almost died.

However, this specific year, Sonny realizes that Huck has fallen on hard times and needs help, but this one weekend almost destroys his life. Even if the plot wasn't highly rated, the chemistry between the stars made it fun enough to earn over 150 million views on Netflix.

27 Army Of Thieves (2021)

154,070,000 Hours Viewed

The German heist film Army of Thieves is the second installment to Zack Snyder's shared universe of the Army of the Dead franchise, and the fact it's one the most watched movies on Netflix is a win for their original content. The film sees a bank teller turned safecracker Sebastian recruited by jewel thief Gwendoline and her team to break into three separate banks.

With its intriguing twists and turns, romantic subplot, and tie-ins to the Army of the Dead movies, it's no wonder that the quirky German tale ranked first on Netflix in over 90 countries with just over 154 million hours viewed. The film revels in its heist theme while simultaneously subverting the genre's more annoying tropes and was a clever entry into the budding franchise.

26 Murder Mystery 2 (2023)

155,730,000 Hours Viewed

Adam Sandler's deal with Netflix has turned out to be a lucrative endeavor, as Murder Mystery 2 is one of the Netflix most watched movies despite being far from Adam Sandler's best movie. The sequel kept its two original stars and sent them to a private island. Now full-time private detectives, Nick and Audrey must solve a murder and kidnapping as their friend Vik is abducted at his wedding by a mysterious assailant.

Sandler's sequel made it to the Netflix Top Ten in over 90 countries and the duo of Sandler and Jennifer Aniston proved to be a hit with nearly 156 million hours watched. It's unsurprising since Murder Mystery originally saw the biggest opening weekend for a film in the company's history.

25 Damsel (2024)

158,000,000 Hours Viewed

Millie Bobby Brown has a fruitful partnership with Netflix starting with the actor's breakout role on Stranger Things. Their latest collaboration is the fantasy action movie Damsel which offers a fun twist on the typical fairy tale. Brown stars as the daughter of a lord who is chosen to marry the wealthy prince only to be thrown into a cave where she will serve as a sacrifice to a deadly dragon.

Brown has enough star power to attract viewers on her own but the fantasy element added an extra bit of interest to the new movie. As one of the most recent Netflix debuts, the movie has already earned 158 million hours of viewing from Netflix s. As more people discover it, that number could rise. There is already some talk of a potential Damsel sequel and the success of this movie could mean a franchise has been started.

24 Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

158,030,000 Hours Viewed

Another strong note for Netflix original content is that Enola Holmes 2 found its way into their most-viewed movies in under a year. Netflix darling Millie Bobby Brown reprised her role as Sherlock Holmes' sister Enola, and to a resounding success of over 158 million hours viewed. Enola Holmes 2 decided not to base their story around Nancy Springer's book series this time, finding inspiration in the real-life 1888 matchgirls' strike.

Enola is recruited by match factory worker Bessie to find her missing sister Sarah. Enola Holmes 2 takes a deeper look into the sibling rivalry between Sherlock and Enola, and is noted for its outstanding design, feminist themes, stellar cast, and intriguing story. The film debuted at number one and stayed in that spot for two weeks, receiving highly positive reviews.

23 Rebel Moon Part One: A Child Of Fire (2023)

165,100,000 Hours Viewed

Despite landing on Netflix's most-wated list, it is hard not to see Rebel Moon of something of a disappointment for the streaming service. The movie was the most expensive movie for Netflix to date with Zack Snyder hyping it as his own Star Wars story that would launch a large extended universe which Netflix quickly started to develop. However, the movie, which is an intergalactic take on Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, earned negative reviews and a tepid reaction from fans.

Still, over 165 million hours viewed on Netflix have shown there is interest in the story which is set to continue with Rebel Moon Part 2. While not the smashing success many were hoping for, it could be the early seeds planted for a bigger hit down the line. It also shows the strength of Snyder's fanbase, bringing their ion over to his Netflix productions.

22 Senior Year (2022)

167,600,000 Hours Viewed

Rebel Wilson is usually a ing character, but Senior Year proved that Wilson has the talent to carry a feature film as it's one of Netflix's most-watched movies. The feel-good comedy sees 17-year-old cheerleader and popular girl Stephanie fall into a coma after a cheer stunt gone wrong and wake up 20 years later. Refusing to accept life as an adult, Stephanie returns to high school for her senior year, and a lot has changed since 2002.

With over 167 million viewing hours logged, Senior Year sees Wilson flexing her talent as a comedian, and the film is packed to the brim with millennial nostalgia mixed with a heartwarming message.

21 The Man From Toronto (2022)

170,820,000 Hours Viewed

The Man from Toronto's pandemic-related release delays may have worked to its benefit, as it managed to become one of the most-watched movies on Netflix. Starring Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart, the film sees the recently-fired schmo Teddy walk in on an interrogation and is mistaken for the assassin known as "the man from Toronto." The FBI decides to recruit Teddy to pretend to be the assassin to capture a Venezuelan radical — until the real "man from Toronto" shows up.

Netflix decided to distribute the film instead and to great success with over 170 million hours viewed.

The film faced setbacks in release due to the COVID-19 pandemic being given a slot and then pulled multiple times. Netflix decided to distribute the film instead and to great success with over 170 million hours viewed.