Netflix’s weekly reports may be dotted with movies that have been critically panned, but it does give us an insight into why the streaming giant keeps backing these films. For the period spanning August 14th to August 20th, 2023, the snapshot of the hottest movies capturing viewers’ attention adds to that theory.
From action-packed adventures to mindless comedies, this week’s top ten lineup showcases a mix of flavours.
Topping the charts is Heart of Stone, starring Gal Gadot, Alia Bhatt, and Jamie Dornan. The action drama has stayed in the global top ten charts for the second week in a row, drawing a staggering 74million hours of views.
Making an impressive debut on the list is The Monkey King, a film that has rapidly swung into second place. This adventurous tale has amassed a noteworthy 13.1m hours of viewership in just one week. The Monkey King is an animated fantasy action comedy film. It is inspired by the Ming dynasty novel Journey to the West.
The Pope’s Exorcist, starring Russell Crowe, joins the ranks in the third spot. With 10.4m hours viewed in its debut week, the film’s all about “Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist for the Vatican, battles Satan and innocent-possessing demons.”
The remaining contenders are far from lagging behind. The comedy road movie Half Brothers, action flick Hidden Strike, and animated feature Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie, cater to a diverse palate.
The comedy genre also claims its place on the leaderboard with What Men Want and the evergreen favourite Despicable Me 2.
Rounding out the list are the documentaries Untold: Hall of Shame, examining one of sports’ biggest steroid scandals, and Untold: Johnny Football, which traces the rise and fall of football star Johnny Manziel.
The 10 most popular films on Netflix this week:
- Heart of Stone
- The Monkey King
- The Pope’s Exorcist
- Half Brothers
- Hidden Strike
- Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie
- What Men Want
- Despicable Me 2
- Untold: Hall of Shame
- Untold: Johnny Football
