The most popular movies to stream right now
The most popular movies to stream right now
There's no better time to be an entertainment aficionado than today. According to Nielsen's 2023 State of Play report, audiences nowadays are spoiled for choice, with more than 2.7 million video titles available across various platforms—almost a million more than just two years ago. In addition, streamers can ping pong between 167 unique streaming sources too—think Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, just to name a few. With so much to choose from, it's not a surprise that audiences typically spend as much as 10 minutes (probably even more) looking for something to watch. With so many options, it can be hard to know where to start when picking what to stream for your next movie night.
To help narrow your options, Stacker compiled a list of the 20 most popular movies across all streaming platforms. Using data from Reelgood, with IMDb ratings and additional data points added for extra insights, the list is a far better way to select your next watch than scrolling through Netflix, Hulu, Max, Amazon Prime, etc. looking for that perfect, buzzy feature. The selection (which updates bi-monthly to keep you apprised of what's hot right now) includes a wide selection of picks, from recent Oscar nominees to the season's biggest blockbusters to genre-specific hits of the past several decades. So whether you enjoy a tense drama, a sci-fi epic, or a sweet rom-com, there's almost certainly something here that will strike your interest.
If you're more interested in what's coming soon than what's already available to stream, the list can help you there too. As existing franchises tease new installments and actors and directors announce their newest projects, the respective backlists typically see a huge resurgence in popularity. Meaning all you need to do is keep an eye on what folks are watching now and you'll have a fairly good idea of what's to come in the next several months. So without further ado, read on to see what movies audiences across the country are streaming!
#20. Borderlands
- Streaming on: Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Runtime: 101 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Comedy
- Director: Eli Roth
- Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black
- Release date: Aug. 7, 2024
#19. Interstellar
- Runtime: 169 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Action & Adventure
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain
- Release date: Nov. 5, 2014
#18. Ghostbusters
- Streaming on: Starz (subscription)
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Horror
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Sigourney Weaver
- Release date: June 8, 1984
#17. Pearl
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Ti West
- Cast: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, and Tandi Wright
- Release date: Sept. 16, 2022
#16. Scream
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Crime
- Director: Wes Craven
- Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox
- Release date: Dec. 20, 1996
#15. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Streaming on: Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Family
- Director: Ron Howard
- Cast: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, and Jeffrey Tambor
- Release date: Nov. 17, 2000
#14. V for Vendetta
- Streaming on: Prime Video (subscription)
- Runtime: 132 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Action & Adventure
- Director: James McTeigue
- Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, and Stephen Rea
- Release date: Nov. 4, 2005
#13. A Quiet Place: Day One
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Michael Sarnoski
- Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, and Alex Wolff
- Release date: June 26, 2024
#12. Twilight
- Streaming on: Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Runtime: 122 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Romance
- Director: Catherine Hardwicke
- Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Billy Burke
- Release date: Nov. 20, 2008
#11. Coraline
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Fantasy
- Director: Henry Selick
- Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and Jennifer Saunders
- Release date: Feb. 6, 2009
#10. Hereditary
- Streaming on: Kanopy (subscription)
- Runtime: 127 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Ari Aster
- Cast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, and Gabriel Byrne
- Release date: June 7, 2018
#9. Venom
- Streaming on: Disney+ (subscription)
- Runtime: 112 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Science-Fiction
- Director: Ruben Fleischer
- Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, and Riz Ahmed
- Release date: Oct. 2, 2018
#8. Terrifier
- Runtime: 85 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Thriller
- Director: Damien Leone
- Cast: David Howard Thornton, Jenna Kanell, and Samantha Scaffidi
- Release date: March 15, 2016
#7. Beetlejuice
- Streaming on: MAX (subscription)
- Runtime: 92 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Fantasy
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder
- Release date: March 30, 1988
#6. Smile
- Runtime: 115 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Mystery
- Director: Parker Finn
- Cast: Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, and Jessie T. Usher
- Release date: Sept. 28, 2022
#5. Terrifier 2
- Runtime: 138 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Thriller
- Director: Damien Leone
- Cast: David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, and Elliott Fullam
- Release date: Oct. 6, 2022
#4. Gladiator
- Runtime: 155 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Action & Adventure
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, and Connie Nielsen
- Release date: May 4, 2000
#3. Halloween
- Runtime: 91 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Thriller
- Director: John Carpenter
- Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Nancy Kyes
- Release date: Oct. 25, 1978
#2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Science-Fiction
- Director: Andy Serkis
- Cast: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, and Michelle Williams
- Release date: Sept. 30, 2021
#1. Deadpool & Wolverine
- Streaming on: Disney+ (subscription)
- Runtime: 128 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Comedy
- Director: Shawn Levy
- Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Emma Corrin
- Release date: July 26, 2024
