Netflix’s 10 Most Popular Movies Of The Summer May Surprise You

On February 27, Netflix
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premiered its brand new Top 10 feature. That daily-updated list provides insight into which movies are performing the best on the streaming platforms—and which ones are duds. Because it’s so difficult to obtain performance numbers in the streaming realm, the Top 10 became our first real glimpse into how Netflix chooses which films will populate its digital library.

Because the coronavirus has closed down the theaters, the very definition of “summer movies” has changed. And thanks to the Top 10 feature, the world’s most popular streaming platform is now providing a better of idea of which movies truly dominate the summer season outside the box office.

The summer months take place between June 20 and September 20. And with the season about half over, I thought it’d be fun to look back and see which films have dominated the Top 10 the most.

So here they are: the ten most popular movies on Netflix (so far) this summer season.

Note: you can read more about the Netflix point system here.

10. Feel the Beat – 79 points

Feel the Beat could never quite muster a #1 showing on the Top 10. Heck, the show only achieved the #2 position one time. But thanks to 12 appearances on the Top 10 in June and two more in August, the dance movie was able to rank ahead of just about every other show that appeared on the Top 10 this summer. On the 2020 rankings, Feel the Beat comes in at 23rd place.

9. The Nut Job – 87 points 

The Nut Job would only make 14 appearances on the Top 10 between June and July. But 11 of those days were spent in the top five, allowing this Will Arnett-helmed animated film to garner 87 points in such a short period of time. On the 2020 list, The Nut Job ranks 25th.

8. Fatal Affair – 98 points 

The Old Guard may have been the Netflix star of July, but Fatal Affair was the one that upended the Charlize Theron’s reign at #1. In fact, Fatal Affair had an even longer run in first place with seven days—something only six other movies have ever done. Fatal Affair would go on to rank fifth in the month of June, and currently ranks 24th on the 2020 list.

7. How Do You Know – 102 points 

Perhaps no Top 10 showing was more strange than How Do You Know’s. The long-forgotten box office bomb made a whopping 20 Top 10 appearances in the month of July. And while the Reese Witherspoon film never ranked higher than third place on the Top 10, the romantic comedy made enough appearances to outrank most movies on Netflix this summer.

6. Despicable Me – 103 points 

Despicable Me isn’t just in sixth place on this summer list. The animated juggernaut ranked third in April, second in May, 11th in June and eighth in July. The film has easily accrued more points than any other film in 2020, and has spend the most days of any movie on the Top 10. So…it’s placing on this list is anything but surprising.

5. Desperados – 114 points 

For most of July, it seemed that Desperados would rule the month. The Netflix comedy would end up finishing in third place, earning 114 points in just 17 days. Desperados spent two days at #1 on the Top 10 and exited the list by July 19. On the 2020 list, the movie ranks in 16th place.

4. The Kissing Booth 2 – 131 points 

The scariest thing about The Kissing Booth 2 is just how dominant its Top 10 run has been in such a short period of time. In the 15 days the movie has been eligible for the Top 10, the maximum possible points The Kissing Booth 2 could possible earn is 150—and the film has so far earned 131. That doesn’t happen very often. The movie also became the third to spend nine consecutive days in the #1 position, behind Spenser Confidential and The Wrong Missy. 

3. The Old Guard – 179 points 

The Old Guard finally exited the Top 10 on August 3. But up until that point, this Charlize Theron action flick had absolutely dominated the Top 10. The Old Guard debuted to six days in first place and six more days in second, and made a total of 22 appearances on the Top 10 during July. The movie would go on to finish second in July, and currently ranks ninth on the 2020 list.

2. 365 Days – 188 points 

Perhaps no movie on Netflix has broken more Top 10 records than 365 Days. The Polish erotic drama spent seven consecutive days at #1 (tied for the sixth-most ever) and 12 non-consecutive days at #1 (the second-most ever). 365 Days would accrue 200 points in June (easily the most) and 86 more in July (the sixth-most of all movies). On the 2020 list, the film ranks in third place behind Despicable Me and The Angry Birds Movie 2.

1. The Lorax – 189 points 

Just edging out 365 Days was the #1 hit of July: The Lorax. What may seem unexpected is actually pretty common for Netflix, as animated films tend to perform really well over long periods of time. And that was definitely the case for The Lorax, which made 25 appearances on the Top 10 during the month of July and three more in August. On the 2020 list, The Lorax ranks in fifth place.