The top ten films reigning supreme on Netflix in the first week of April 2024 offer an eclectic mix of entertainment for a global audience. From heart-pounding action to emotional dramas and scintillating mysteries, these are the films everyone’s been watching on the streaming giant.
At the summit of this week’s popularity chart sits Mandla Walter Dube’s Heart of the Hunter, a gripping tale that has held audiences spellbound for two consecutive weeks. This thriller is a quintessential South African action drama that follows a retired assassin who has to get back into the game to rescue an old friend who has been kidnapped. Based on the novel by Deon Meyer, the film stars Bonko Khoza, who plays the titular hunter, Zuko Khumalo.
Following closely behind is The Little Things, a 2021 serial killer drama starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto. Directed by John Lee Hancock, The Little Things may have found its place among the most-watched films on Netflix this week, but upon release, the critics were less than kind. The film’s basic premise resembles every detective story that resembles True Detective.
The Maze Runner is next on the list, returning as an escape into a dystopian world where survival is the ultimate challenge. Directed by Wes Ball and based on the bestselling novel by James Dashner, this action-packed adventure follows a group of young survivors as they navigate a treacherous maze filled with deadly secrets. The sequel, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, has also made its way to the top ten, sitting pretty in the ninth level.
Meanwhile, Glass shattered expectations as it climbed its way to the top of the global charts after dominating the local lists on Netflix worldwide. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan and featuring James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L. Jackson, this superhero film, with a twist, serves as a conclusion to the Unbreakable trilogy.
Rounding out the top five is The Beautiful Game, the Thea Sharrock sports biopic inspired by the Homeless World Cup. The film stars Bill Nighy and Micheal Ward as they take on the next championship games in Rome. Despite having a lot of heart, the film is ultimately a corny mess riddled with familiar tropes and lacklustre acting. You can read our review of The Beautiful Game, which is currently on Netflix’s top ten films chart in 51 countries.
But, of course, there’s more. Philip Martin’s Scoop, starring Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper, and Rufus Sewell, has made its way to the sixth spot. While Scoop tackles the actual demons that plague our world, Millie Bobby Brown continues to fight fictional dragons in Damsel. As she comes to terms with the knowledge that patriarchy is far worse than any dragons out there, Ansel Elgort’s Baby is busy trying to escape a life of crime on Baby Driver, currently nestled in at the seventh rank on the list.
Rounding out the top ten is a tale of divine hope, the Christian drama Letters to God, where a young boy writes to the big man (or woman) up in the sky to help him through his cancer diagnosis.
The 10 most popular films on Netflix this week:
- Heart of the Hunter
- The Little Things
- The Maze Runner
- Glass
- The Beautiful Game
- Scoop
- Damsel
- Baby Driver
- Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
- Letters to God
