
The 10 most popular movies on Netflix this week: May 2026
Nathan Greno’s fantasy adventure movie took some time to warm up on Netflix when it originally premiered earlier in May. But since flapping its wings on the summit of the most popular movies, Swapped is clearly leaving no room for any unnecessary swaps.
In the week from May 11th to May 17th, the animated movie amassed 26.4million views, earning the top spot on the most popular movies chart globally for a second straight week. Swapped is currently the number one movie in 38 countries this week, including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, the Bahamas, Chile, and Costa Rica, among others.
Up next on the most popular movies chart is Olivia Newman’s Netflix adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures with 20.3million views. While the mystery drama is ranked second on the international chart, it is currently the number one movie in nine countries, including Canada, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Austria, to name a few.
Ranked third on the most popular movies chart this week is the true-crime documentary that netizens cannot stop raving about, The Crash. Although the docu-film premiered just last week, it has already managed 11.2million views, becoming the number one movie in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
That said, Baltasar Kormákur’s Charlize Theron-led survival thriller, Apex, is still going strong at fourth with 10.6million views, followed by the latest Netflix sports comedy voiced by Caleb McLaughlin, Goat, which has debuted on the most popular movies chart with 9.2million views.
This animated feature might be new on the block. However, for KPop Demon Hunters? The most popular movies chart has been home for 48 weeks, with this one being no different, as the Oscar-winning film makes waves at sixth.
Next in the most popular movies chart queue is the classic romantic comedy, Mother’s Day, which has been understandably on the rise on Netflix charts since the titular occasion. Following the heartfelt blast from the past is a Lifetime movie from the network’s ripped-from-the-headlines catalogue, Stolen Baby: The Murder of Heidi Broussard, ranked eighth with 2.9million views.
On the ninth, the decade-old Jason Statham action thriller Mechanic: Resurrection is trending as if it only hit shelves yesterday. With 2.8million views earned in the week ending May 17th, it is currently in its second week on the most popular movies chart.
Lastly, rounding out the global trends once and for all this week is Will Smith’s post-apocalyptic action thriller, I Am Legend, and with that, it’s officially a wrap for the week.
The 10 most popular movies on Netflix this week:
- Swapped
- Remarkably Bright Creatures
- The Crash
- Apex
- Goat
- KPop Demon Hunters
- Mother’s Day
- Stolen Baby: The Murder of Heidi Broussard
- Mechanic: Resurrection
- I Am Legend