The 10 Movies That Have Dominated Netflix’s Summer Schedule

As we enter September, we also enter the final days of summer. On September 22, the season finally comes to an end.

And…it’s been a strange summer for sure. Movie theaters have been shuttered, leaving only our televisions to provide entertainment. And with no box office, we’ve had to find other ways of gauging which movies have truly dominated the summer of 2020.

Luckily, we have a way to determine which movies commanded the world’s most popular streaming service: Netflix
NFLX
. Thanks to the “Top 10” feature introduced earlier this year, we’ve been able to put together a point system that allows us to measure each movie’s performance and rank how movies have performed on the streaming platform.

So as summer nears its end, which movies have come out on top? There are still 18 days for other movies to make their mark—but for now, these are the movies that have led Netflix over the past few months.

10. Animal Crackers – 109 points

Seemingly, Animal Crackers didn’t make a ton of noise on Netflix this summer. Heck, the movie never even reached the #1 position on the Daily Top 10. But the animated film starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt did spend eight days in the #2 spot during its short Netflix run. As a result, Animal Crackers mustered enough points to squeeze out films like Jurassic Park and Drunk Parents to make the Summer Top 10.

9. Desperados – 114 points

For a bit, it looked like Desperados would come out on top of the July Top 10. In the end, the surprise Netflix hit was beat out by The Lorax and The Old Guard. But still, the comedy starring Nasim Pedrad garnered enough points in 17 days—which included two days in the top spot—to beat out every other movie in July. Desperados has easily been one of Netflix’s most successful original comedies so far.

8. The Lost Husband – 135 points

The month of August belonged to July until Project Power stepped in. Before that, though, the romance spent four days in the #1 spot and captured points on 20 different days during its debut month. In the end, the 135 points accumulated by The Lost Husband were enough to land the movie in third place on the August Top 10.

7. The Kissing Booth 2 – 139 points

On paper, The Kissing Booth 2’s Netflix run was anything but admirable. The teen romance finished in seventh place for July and in 11th place for August. But at the time of release, The Kissing Booth 2 became just the third movie on Netflix to spend nine consecutive days in the #1 spot. Those points were crucial for its 21-day stint on the Daily Top 10.

6. Mr. Peabody & Sherman – 141 points

One of four animated movies on this list, Mr. Peabody & Sherman showcased the potential for cartoons on Netflix. A relatively unknown and under-appreciated movie for years, this surprise Netflix hit had an absolute field day during the month of August and spent 20 days on the Daily Top 10 list. While the movie never reached the #1 position, Mr. Peabody & Sherman made enough showings to finish in second place for the month.

5. Despicable Me – 166 points

If there’s any dark horse to come out on top of this list by the end of the summer, it’s Despicable Me. In the 76 days that have passed so far this season, this animated juggernaut has spent 51 of them on the Daily Top 10. As a result, Despicable Me finished in the Monthly Top 10 for both July and August—and made its way to the #5 spot on this summer list.

3. (tie) Project Power – 179 points

Honestly, it’s amazing that Project Power didn’t rise any higher than third place on this list. Late last month, the Jamie Foxx action flick saw 13 consecutive days in first place on the Daily Top 10—a feat that only one other movie (Spenser Confidential) has accomplished. The movie, however, then quickly fell off the daily list. Project Power’s Top 10 run ended on September 1.

3. (tie) The Old Guard – 179 points

The Old Guard really made the most of its 22 days on the Daily Top 10. The Charlize Theron vehicle saw six straight days in the #1 spot, followed by six more days in the #2 position. The Old Guard was dangerously close to becoming the #1 movie of July (before it was beat out by a surprise Netflix hit), but then it quickly fell off the Daily Top 10 completely.

2. The Lorax – 186 points

You do wonder when Netflix plans to tackle the animated market, because movies like The Lorax continue to dominate the streaming platform. The somewhat-forgotten Dr. Seuss adaptation saw an incredible 28 straight days on the Daily Top 10, which included seven days in the #1 spot, six days in the #2 spot and seven more days in the #3 spot. On the 2020 Top 10 list, The Lorax sits in fifth place.

1. 365 Days – 188 points

Truly nothing has been more surprising about Netflix’s summer season than the absolute dominance of 365 Days. The Polish erotic thriller garnered 188 of its 282 points during the summer months—a time that included four days in the #1 position on the Daily Top 10. Thirty-four of its 45 days spent on the daily list occurred during the summer, which gave 365 Days movie just enough points to eke past The Lorax for the top spot.