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The 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now

A masked killer charges toward Nell Verlaque in Thanksgiving.
Tristar Pictures

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with nearly 250 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 the past seven days to keep subscribers in the loop regarding its most popular titles.

Players, a new rom-com starring Gina Rodriguez and Damon Wayans Jr., won over the hearts of the Netflix audience on its way to the No. 2 spot. And though the holiday season may be over, but Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving slashed its way to the No. 9 spot. Other new films to debut in the top 10 include Einstein and the Bomb and Horrible Bosses 2. Below, we’ve listed the top 10 movies in the U.S. from February 12 to February 18, 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 shows on Netflix, 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. Minions (2015)

10. Minions
56 %
6.4/10
pg 91m
Genre Family, Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Stars Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton
Directed by Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin

The childlike yellow creatures get their own movie in Minions, the spinoff/prequel to Despicable Me. Three Minions – Kevin, Stuart, and Bob – struggle to find a master after failing to work for a T. rex, Count Dracula, and Napoleon. The Minions hitchhike to Orlando in the late 1960s and meet Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock) at a villain convention.

Scarlet, the world’s first female supervillain, and her husband, Herb (Jon Hamm), recruit the Minions to join them in London to steal Queen Elizabeth II’s crown. If the Minions succeed, they will receive a reward, but if they fail, Scarlet will eliminate the Minion race. Expect a lot of hijinks from these lovable creatures.

9. Thanksgiving (2023)

9. Thanksgiving
63 %
6.4/10
r 106m
Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Stars Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae
Directed by Eli Roth

What once was a peaceful holiday becomes a nightmare in Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving. Set in the birthplace of Thanksgiving – Plymouth, Massachusetts – residents begin lining up for a Black Friday sale at a local superstore. Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque), whose father owns the superstore, and her friends are allowed into the store early. However, the crowd stampedes into the store after spotting the teens, leading to the deaths of multiple people.

One year later, a killer in a John Carver mask begins terrorizing the teenagers. At first, they believe the killings are random. As the killer takes out more innocent victims, a pattern develops, leading the kids to speculate that these murders are part of a revenge plan. They’ll have to act quickly to unmask the killer, or they might find themselves on the wrong side of a pitchfork.

8. Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

8. Horrible Bosses 2
40 %
6.3/10
r 108m
Genre Comedy
Stars Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day
Directed by Sean Anders

In Horrible Bosses, Nick (Jason Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day), and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) believe their lives would improve if they killed their employers. After their plan fails and they avoid jail time, the trio goes into business for themselves in Horrible Bosses 2. The guys create “Shower Buddy,” a new, innovative showerhead. Looking for investors, the trio meets Rex Hanson (Chris Pine) and his father, Bert (Christoph Waltz), who agree to invest in the project if they can produce 100,000 units.

Thanks to a $500,000 business loan, they manage to hit their quota, but Bert backs out of the deal and steals the idea. Without a means of paying the loan, Nick, Dale, and Kurt turn to a life of crime for the second time. Instead of killing their boss, the trio kidnaps Rex for ransom. What could go wrong this time?

7. Seraphim Falls (2007)

7. Seraphim Falls
62 %
6.6/10
r 115m
Genre Western, Action, Drama
Stars Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Wincott
Directed by David Von Ancken

Three years after the end of the Civil War, Gideon (Pierce Brosnan), a former Union officer, is on the run from a group of attackers in the snowy Ruby Mountains. One of these men is Carver (Liam Neeson), a former Confederate soldier who blames Gideon for a terrible crime. Because of this, a bounty is placed on Gideon’s head.

Carver and his men hurt Gibson, but he manages to escape. A wounded Gibson must then navigate difficult terrain and unforgiving hazards to try and reach safety. Why does Carver want to kill Gideon? Something happened at Seraphim Falls, and Gideon won’t rest until he has his vengeance.

6. Einstein and the Bomb (2024)

6. Einstein and the Bomb
6.3/10
pg-13 77m
Genre Documentary, Drama
Stars Aidan McArdle, Andrew Havill, Rachel Barry
Directed by Anthony Philipson

If you’ve watched Oppenheimer, you know there are scenes involving Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer and Tom Conti’s Albert Einstein as they discuss the atomic bomb and the future of the nuclear arms race. Though the meeting’s depiction in Oppenheimer is not entirely accurate, the two physicists did meet in real life, as Einstein’s studies and research on theoretical physics undoubtedly influenced Oppenheimer and future physicists.

Einstein and the Bomb examines the life and career of one of the greatest scientists ever. Through archival footage and reenactments, the docudrama also explores Einstein’s role in the development of the atomic bomb via to a letter he wrote to FDR, a decision he would later regret.

5. Orion and the Dark (2024)

5. Orion and the Dark
72 %
6.5/10
pg 93m
Genre Animation, Family, Comedy, Fantasy
Stars Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett
Directed by Sean Charmatz

Charlie Kaufman has explored mortality, identity crisis, and the human condition through adults for a quarter-century. Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Anomalisa come to mind. Now, Kaufman is applying some of those same principles through the eyes of a child in the animated Orion and the Dark. Orion (Jacob Tremblay) is a young boy with crippling anxiety and an irrational amount of fears – dogs, cell phone radiation, bees, rejection, etc.

Yet, Orion’s biggest fear is the dark. One night, Orion is confronted by the literal Dark (Paul Walter Hauser), who is determined to rid the young boy of his fear. Orion and Dark go on an unlikely adventure where the boy slowly learns that to live life to the fullest, he needs to be brave. 

4. American Assassin (2017)

4. American Assassin
45 %
6.2/10
r 112m
Genre Action, Thriller
Stars Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Taylor Kitsch
Directed by Michael Cuesta

While on vacation in Ibiza, Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien) proposes to his girlfriend, Katrina Harper (Charlotte Vega), and she accepts. Moments later, Katrina dies in a terrorist attack on the beach. Over the next year and a half, Mitch dedicates his life to finding and killing the terrorists who murdered Katrina. Before making his final move, Mitch is recruited by CIA Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) to join a black ops mission.

Mitch reluctantly accepts and trains under Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton). Their mission is to stop more terrorists from starting a global war after they steal a nuclear weapon. For fans of Ethan Hunt or Jason Bourne, American Assassin is a serviceable thriller with a compelling performance from O’Brien.

3. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

3. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
46 %
7.1/10
pg 93m
Genre Animation, Family, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy
Stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day
Directed by Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath

Thanks to NBCUniversal’s deal with Netflix, one of the biggest titles of 2023 – The Super Mario Bros. Movie – is available to stream. Based on the hit characters from the Nintendo games, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is an origin story for Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), two Italian-American brothers working as plumbers in Brooklyn, New York.

While fixing a water main leak, the two brothers are sent down the Warp Pipe into two kingdoms. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), while Luigi appears in the Dark Lands ruled by Bowser (Jack Black). Featuring other notable characters like Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen), Mario sets out to find Luigi and save the world from Bowser’s reign.

2. Players (2024)

2. Players
51 %
5.7/10
105m
Genre Romance, Comedy
Stars Gina Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., Tom Ellis
Directed by Trish Sie

As a female sportswriter in New York City, Mack (Gina Rodriguez) knows a thing or two about scoring. Along with her best friend, Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.), and their crew, Mack has become a master at hooking up thanks to their “plays,” the schemes they execute to win over the opposite sex. This playbook is only used to score for one night.

However, things become complicated with the arrival of war correspondent Nick (Tom Ellis). Believing it’s time to settle down, Mack wants to use the playbook to start a relationship with Nick, something the group has never done. All hands will be on deck as Mack tries to go from a seductress to a girlfriend in Players.

1. Lover, Stalker, Killer (2024)

1. Lover, Stalker, Killer
7.1/10
r 90m
Genre Crime, Documentary
Stars Dave Kroupa, Ryan Avis, Jessica Johnson
Directed by Sam Hobkinson

Online dating takes a dark turn in the true crime documentary Lover, Stalker, Killer. At the center of the story is Dave Kroupa, a single man who tries his hand at online dating after moving to Nebraska in 2012. His new dating profile leads him to single mother Liz Golyar. The two hit it off, but keep things casual. Then, Kroupa met another single mom named Cari Farver and went on a few dates with her.

Farver accidentally runs into Golyar at Kroupa’s apartment. The story goes off the rails from there, as Farver would soon disappear. Yet, Farver would continue to stalk Kroupa for years. This complicated love triangle has many twists, including one you won’t expect in this disastrous tale of dating gone wrong.

Editors' Recommendations

Movie images and data from:
Dan Girolamo
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
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