Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with over 280 million subscribers. And just what do those people tend to watch? In particular, what is the most popular movie on Netflix? Each week, the streaming service releases a list of its 10 most-watched movies over a recent seven-day period to keep subscribers in the loop regarding its most popular titles.
It might be Thanksgiving, but Christmas rom-coms are dominating the top 10. The Merry Gentlemen, Hot Frosty, and Meet Me Next Christmas make up three of the ten spots. Additionally, Spellbound, the highly anticipated animated film, comes in at No. 7. Below, we’ve listed the top 10 movies in the U.S. from November 18 to November 24, along with general information about each film, such as genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the 10 most popular shows on Netflix right now.
10. Meet Me Next Christmas (2024)
5.5/10
105m
Watch on Netflix
Netflix has entered the holiday season with a new slate of original movies. First up is Meet Me Next Christmas, a holiday romance starring Christina Milian. Layla (Milian) is a dreamer who wants to meet the perfect man. After a canceled flight, Layla heads to the lounge, where she meets the charming James (Kofi Siriboe). The meet cute leads to a deal: next Christmas, they are to reconnect at a Pentatonix concert, and if they’re single, their relationship is meant to be.
Fast-forward to Christmas Eve, and Layla doesn’t have a ticket. She enlists the help of a concierge named Teddy (Devale Ellis) to accompany her on her pursuit of a ticket. Layla forms a connection with Teddy, complicating her feelings. In the end, she must choose one man to be her present under the tree.
9. Father Figures (2017)
22%
5.5/10
113m
Watch on Netflix
Owen Wilson and Ed Helms are searching for their biological dad in Father Figures. Kyle (Wilson) and Peter Reynolds (Ed Helms) are fraternal twins raised by their mother Helen (Glenn Close). The boys never knew their father, who allegedly died when they were children. As it turns out, Helen had multiple partners at the time of the boys’ conception and did not want the father involved in their lives.
Pressured by the boys, Helen caves and says their father is Terry Bradshaw. Kyle and Peter find Bradshaw, but the former NFL pro says he is not their father. This begins a wild goose chase to find the father. Unfortunately, Kyle and Peter must interview all of the mother’s former partners if they want to find the truth.
8. Sing (2016)
59%
7.1/10
108m
Watch on Netflix
The next singalong musical that your family will love is Sing. In a city of anthropomorphic animals, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), a koala, owns a struggling theater in danger of closing its doors. Buster decides to host a singing competition, with the winner receiving $1,000. However, a typo on the flyers states the prize is $100,000, attracting more attention and contestants.
Buster’s contestants: Mike (Seth MacFarlane), a mouse who sings like Frank Sinatra; Meena (Tori Kelly), an elephant with stage fright; Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), a mother pig who abandoned her singing dreams as a teen; Johnny (Taron Egerton), a gorilla with aspirations of being a singer and pianist; and Ash (Scarlett Johansson), a porcupine and punk rock enthusiast. May the best singer win.
7. Spellbound (2024)
54%
5.8/10
111m
Watch on Netflix
A classic fairytale gets a modern twist in the animated Spellbound. In the kingdom of Lumbria, Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman) and King Solon (Javier Bardem) have been turned into monsters for over a year because of a mysterious spell. Their daughter, Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler), is being positioned to become the new Queen when she turns 15.
Due to an accident in the castle, her parents escape their cages and wreak havoc on the kingdom. Refusing to abandon her parents, Ellian saves the monsters and brings them on a quest to meet the Oracles, who might have the answers to reversing the spell. The daring quest will change Ellian and her family forever.
6. The Secret Life of Pets (2016)
61%
6.5/10
86m
Watch on Netflix
When their owners are away, the animals come to life in The Secret Life of Pets. Max (Louis C.K.) is a Jack Russell Terrier who lives a good life with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper). When Katie goes away, Max converses with the other pets in the building, including Chloe the cat (Lake Bell), Buddy the mini dachshund (Hannibal Buress), and Mel the pug (Bobby Moynihan).
One day, Katie adopts Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a big Newfoundland dog. Duke and Max do not like each other, so the former tries to leave the latter in an alley. When the doggy duo run into alley cats, Snowball (Kevin Hart), a white rabbit, saves them. In exchange for saving their lives, Max and Duke must join Snowball’s gang, who want to exact their revenge on humans.
5. The Lost Children (2024)
7.1/10
97m
Watch on Netflix
The Lost Children is one of the most unbelievable examples of human resilience and ingenuity you’ll ever see. In May 2023, a small aircraft carrying seven people crashed in the jungles of Colombia. Two adults died on impact, including the pilot. Only a mother, Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia, and her four children survived. Four days later, Magdalena died, leaving her children — ages 13, 9, 4, and 1 — to fend for themselves.
What transpired is one of the most remarkable stories you’ll ever hear. For the next 40 days, the children survived the harsh conditions of the jungle thanks to the guidance and leadership provided by the 13-year-old. Eventually, the siblings were rescued by the military. If that weren’t enough, the ensuing court case for custody will make your heart sink.
4. Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy (2024)
6.8/10
85m
Watch on Netflix
With Black Friday on the horizon, it’s fitting that Netflix would release a documentary about consumerism called Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy. However, this documentary does not blame the consumer for their spending habits. The Shopping Conspiracy presents a theory on how corporations repeatedly manipulate customers into purchasing products.
The filmmaker sits down with whistleblowers from huge brands — Amazon, Apple, and Adidas — to learn how they exploit consumers. Besides financial ruin, there is also an environmental concern for overconsumption, which leads to an abundance of waste and nowhere to put it.
3. Rob Peace (2024)
61%
6.5/10
120m
Watch on Netflix
Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor stars, writes, and directs Rob Peace, a moving biographical drama about a son’s fight to save his father. Rob Peace (Jay Will) is a brilliant teen who attends Yale to become a scientist. By all accounts, Rob is a great student, talented athlete, and sociable college kid. However, Rob can’t shake the fact that his father (Ejiofor) is in jail for an alleged murder.
Although his mother (Mary J. Blige) worked multiple jobs and sacrificed her life to ensure a better future for her son, Rob made it his mission to help free his father from incarceration. Rob begins selling drugs to raise extra money for his cause. Rob Peace is a tragic view of how a gifted individual risked it all to help others and how the system failed him at every turn.
2. Hot Frosty (2024)
52%
5.6/10
92m
Watch on Netflix
Hot Frosty is aptly named because it centers around an attractive version of Frosty the Snowman. In Hope Springs, Kathy Barrett (Lacey Chabert) is a widow of two years who owns a small cafe in town. One day after work, Kathy puts a red winter scarf on a muscular snowman. Much to her dismay, this snowman comes to life in the form of a handsome man, Jack (Dustin Milligan).
Just like a snowman, Jack’s temperature is below freezing, making winter the perfect environment for him to survive. As Jack spends more time with Kathy, he spreads kindness and cheer to the town’s residents. He even starts to fall for Kathy, who reciprocates the feeling. However, Jack is a snowman who will melt when it gets warm. Is Kathy willing to fall in love with someone who may not exist come spring?
1. The Merry Gentlemen (2024)
36%
5.0/10
88m
Watch on Netflix
Shirts are optional in The Merry Gentlemen, a new Christmas rom-com from Netflix. Ashley Davis (Britt Robertson) left her small town over a decade ago to work as a Broadway dancer. An onstage mishap leads to her dismissal from the show, leaving her unemployed. With Christmas approaching, Ashley travels home to visit her parents, Lily (Beth Broderick) and Stan (Michael Gross).
Shortly after arrival, Ashley learns her parents’ venue, The Rhythm Room, is $30,000 in debt and could close. After seeing the place’s attractive handyman Luke (Chad Michael Murray) without a shirt, Ashley comes up with the idea to stage an all-male Christmas show. Will these shirtless men be enough to save The Rhythm Room?