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. Scary Movie
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 88 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Horror
- Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
- Cast: Anna Faris, Jon Abrahams, and Marlon Wayans
- Release date: July 7, 2000
#19. Baby Boom
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Romance
- Director: Charles Shyer
- Cast: Diane Keaton, Sam Shepard, and Harold Ramis
- Release date: Oct. 7, 1987
#18. Ghostbusters
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (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. Halloween
- Streaming on: Hulu (subscription)
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: David Gordon Green
- Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, and Andi Matichak
- Release date: Oct. 17, 2018
#16. Tron
- Streaming on: Disney+ (subscription)
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Science-Fiction
- Director: Steven Lisberger
- Cast: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, and David Warner
- Release date: July 9, 1982
#15. Practical Magic
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Romance
- Director: Griffin Dunne
- Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and Goran Visnjic
- Release date: Oct. 16, 1998
#14. 28 Weeks Later
- 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
#13. Sleepy Hollow
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Fantasy
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Miranda Richardson
- Release date: Nov. 19, 1999
#12. Sneakers
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 126 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Comedy
- Director: Phil Alden Robinson
- Cast: Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, and David Strathairn
- Release date: Sept. 9, 1992
#11. Casper
- Streaming on: Netflix (subscription)
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Family
- Director: Brad Silberling
- Cast: Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, and Malachi Pearson
- Release date: May 26, 1995
#10. Mad Monster Party?
- Streaming on: Plex (free)
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Genres: Animation and Comedy
- Director: Jules Bass
- Cast: Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, and Gale Garnett
- Release date: July 26, 1967
#9. Tron: Legacy
- Streaming on: Disney+ (subscription)
- Runtime: 125 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Science-Fiction
- Director: Joseph Kosinski
- Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, and Olivia Wilde
- Release date: Dec. 15, 2010
#8. 28 Days Later
- Runtime: 113 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, and Brendan Gleeson
- Release date: Nov. 15, 2002
#7. Coraline
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Henry Selick
- Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and Jennifer Saunders
- Release date: Feb. 6, 2009
#6. Something's Gotta Give
- Streaming on: Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Runtime: 128 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Romance
- Director: Nancy Meyers
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, and Keanu Reeves
- Release date: Dec. 12, 2003
#5. Scream
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Crime
- Director: Wes Craven
- Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox
- Release date: Dec. 20, 1996
#4. Annie Hall
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Comedy
- Director: Woody Allen
- Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, and Tony Roberts
- Release date: April 20, 1977
#3. The First Wives Club
- Streaming on: Hoopla (subscription)
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: Hugh Wilson
- Cast: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton
- Release date: Sept. 20, 1996
#2. 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
#1. The Black Phone
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Mystery
- Director: Scott Derrickson
- Cast: Mason Thames, Ethan Hawke, and Madeleine McGraw
- Release date: June 17, 2022
