Netflix is now the world’s digital watercooler—where one show or film might command center stage in conversations from Seoul to São Paulo. But what are the titles that have captured the global imagination, with billions of hours and millions of full views? Here are the most-watched Netflix series and movies of all time—and what their success says about our shared streaming habits.
How Netflix Calculates a Hit
For years, Netflix kept viewership figures secret, leaving audiences and industry experts in suspense. Then there was the “hours watched” era, following how much time members spent on a particular title. Now, Netflix takes it a step further with its “views” measure: total hours viewed divided by a title’s length. It’s not perfect—repeat plays and partial viewing can distort the numbers—but it’s the best estimate we have for what worldwide audiences are watching from start to finish.
The Most-Watched Netflix Shows of All Time
Wednesday – Netflix’s Gothic Phenomenon
Jenna Ortega’s spin as Wednesday Addams resonated with audiences around the globe on a gothic note. Wednesday Season 1 attracted more than 1.7 billion hours watched and over 252 million views, ranking among Netflix’s top-watched English-language series. With its spooky appeal and teen mystery feel, Wednesday showed that offbeat can be a blockbuster, too.
Stranger Things – Nostalgia-Fueled Sci-Fi
Stranger Things (Season 4) not only pleased fans—it broke records, garnering more than 1.8 billion hours and 140 million views. With its ’80s vibe, paranormal stakes, and character-driven drama, this season reminded the audience why Hawkins, Indiana, is still the hub of Netflix’s original content universe.
DAHMER and Bridgerton – True Crime and Period Romance Leaders
True crime and historical drama are two genres that excel on Netflix. DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story captivated and repelled in equal amounts, whereas Bridgerton served up tawdry high-society romance in both of its number-one seasons. Both series amassed hundreds of millions of viewing hours, demonstrating Netflix’s versatility in addressing both the macabre and the aspirational.
The Queen’s Gambit and The Night Agent – Limited Series with Lasting Impact
Who would have thought a chess show would become viral? The Queen’s Gambit did just that. At the same time, thrillers such as The Night Agent and Fool Me Once demonstrate that a good story limited series still commands the ability to capture audience attention—and watercooler buzz.
International Hits: Non-English-Language Series
Squid Game – A Cultural Phenomenon
With more than 2.2 billion hours viewed and 265 million views, Squid Game isn’t only Netflix’s largest non-English-language series—it’s the most-viewed show in the service’s history. Its haunting survival theme, emotional tension, and biting social commentary made it an international phenomenon, triggering everything from Halloween outfits to real-world game show adaptations.
Money Heist, Lupin, and All of Us Are Dead – Global Favorites
Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) became the banner for Spanish-language thrillers, while Lupin introduced sophisticated French heists into the fray. All of Us Are Dead combined zombie horror and teen drama to provide one of South Korea’s largest foreign hits since Squid Game. These shows prove subtitles are no hindrance to good storytelling.
The Most-Watched Netflix Movies of All Time
Red Notice – Star Power and Action Win Big
Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds star in Red Notice, Netflix’s biggest English-language film with more than 454 million hours and 230 million views. Full of international heists and snappy one-liners, this action-comedy was an immediate must-see upon opening.
Don’t Look Up, Bird Box, and The Gray Man – Hollywood Goes Streaming
With its satirical commentary on climate catastrophe and celebrity culture, Don’t Look Up hit a nerve and a viewership jackpot. Bird Box left us all blindfolded with tension, and The Gray Man demonstrated that Netflix can hold its own with high-budget spy thrillers. Add in The Adam Project, and it’s obvious audiences devour quick-paced, star-studded tales they can watch from the couch.
Global Film Success: Non-English-Language Movies
Troll – Norway’s Giant Leap into the Spotlight
Troll, a Norwegian monster movie, stomped its way to the top of the non-English movie chart with over 178 million hours watched and 103 million views. Its mix of folklore and action gave international audiences something new, and they showed up in droves.
Society of the Snow, The Platform, and Under Paris – Diverse Stories, Massive Reach
From Spanish social thrillers such as The Platform to the tear-jerking survival story Society of the Snow and the new French creature feature Under Paris, Netflix’s global film slate continues to build its audience. These films demonstrate that audiences are more receptive than ever to international storytelling, regardless of language.
Why These Titles Captured the World
What binds these megahits together? They provide new spins on commonalities—survival, ambition, justice, love, spectacle. Whether a spooky Addams Family remake or an adrenaline-fueled heist, the highest-performing Netflix shows bank on emotional connection and genre recognition while pushing the storytelling envelope.
Netflix’s bet on local and international content has created a special platform where a South Korean series can be the world’s largest show, or a Norwegian monster movie can defeat Hollywood blockbusters in popularity. Behind every billion-hour binge, there is a plain truth: people love surprising, thrilling, and connecting stories, just across borders. And as a new global phenomenon waits one click away, the binge goes on.