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. M3GAN
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Genres: Science-Fiction and Horror
- Director: Gerard Johnstone
- Cast: Jenna Davis, Allison Williams, and Violet McGraw
- Release date: Dec. 28, 2022
#19. Final Destination
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Genres: Thriller and Horror
- Director: James Wong
- Cast: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, and Kerr Smith
- Release date: March 17, 2000
#18. Friday the 13th
- Streaming on: Kanopy (subscription)
- Runtime: 95 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Mystery
- Director: Sean S. Cunningham
- Cast: Jeannine Taylor, Laurie Bartram, and Harry Crosby
- Release date: May 9, 1980
#17. John Wick: Chapter 4
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 169 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Crime
- Director: Chad Stahelski
- Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, and Bill Skarsgård
- Release date: March 22, 2023
#16. Plane
- Streaming on: Netflix (subscription)
- Runtime: 107 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Thriller
- Director: Jean-François Richet
- Cast: Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, and Tony Goldwyn
- Release date: Jan. 11, 2023
#15. Good Night, and Good Luck.
- Streaming on: Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Biography
- Director: George Clooney
- Cast: David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, and George Clooney
- Release date: Sept. 16, 2005
#14. Mission: Impossible - Fallout
- Runtime: 147 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Thriller
- Director: Christopher McQuarrie
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, and Ving Rhames
- Release date: July 25, 2018
#13. Love & Mercy
- Runtime: 121 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Biography
- Director: Bill Pohlad
- Cast: Paul Dano, John Cusack, and Elizabeth Banks
- Release date: Nov. 19, 2014
#12. Mission: Impossible
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Thriller
- Director: Brian De Palma
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, and Emmanuelle Béart
- Release date: May 22, 1996
#11. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
- Runtime: 157 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Action & Adventure
- Director: Francis Lawrence
- Cast: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, and Peter Dinklage
- Release date: Nov. 15, 2023
#10. John Wick
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 101 minutes
- Genres: Crime and Action & Adventure
- Director: Chad Stahelski
- Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, and Alfie Allen
- Release date: Oct. 23, 2014
#9. Jurassic Park
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 127 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Science-Fiction
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum
- Release date: June 11, 1993
#8. How to Train Your Dragon 2
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Animation
- Director: Dean DeBlois
- Cast: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, and Gerard Butler
- Release date: June 5, 2014
#7. Spaceballs
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Comedy
- Director: Mel Brooks
- Cast: Bill Pullman, Rick Moranis, and Mel Brooks
- Release date: June 24, 1987
#6. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
- Runtime: 163 minutes
- Genres: Thriller and Action & Adventure
- Director: Christopher McQuarrie
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, and Ving Rhames
- Release date: July 8, 2023
#5. How to Train Your Dragon
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Animation
- Director: Chris Sanders
- Cast: Dean DeBlois, Jay Baruchel, and Gerard Butler
- Release date: March 18, 2010
#4. Jaws
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 124 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss
- Release date: June 20, 1975
#3. The Accountant
- Runtime: 128 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Action & Adventure
- Director: Gavin O'Connor
- Cast: Ben Affleck, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Anna Kendrick
- Release date: Oct. 13, 2016
#2. 28 Weeks Later
- Streaming on: Hulu (subscription)
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Science-Fiction
- Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
- Cast: Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, and Jeremy Renner
- Release date: May 9, 2007
#1. 28 Days Later
- Streaming on: PlutoTV (free)
- Runtime: 113 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, and Brendan Gleeson
- Release date: Nov. 15, 2002
