While Netflix actively promotes its flagship programming and major feature movies, there are lots of surprising films that quietly dominate the streaming platform’s charts. Whether it’s viewers rediscovering hidden gems from bygone eras or kid viewers constantly rewatching their favorite animated films, the Netflix charts often feature unexpected movies.
Although Netflix has plenty of great original programming, a major part of the streamer’s appeal is their back catalog of all-time great films. When reflecting on what manages to shoot up the charts, it’s interesting to see how these two sides of Netflix come together to make a well-rounded viewing experience that highlights the varied history of cinema.
10
The Quick And The Dead (1995)
Despite underperforming at the box office back in 1995, Sam Raimi’s The Quick and the Dead got a new lease of life in 2025 as it shot up the Netflix streaming charts. With a star-studded cast including Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sharon Stone, this cult classic has built up a devoted following over the years and is at last getting the attention it deserves from mainstream viewers.
As a genre-bending spectacle about a ruthless outlaw-turned mayor encouraging bandits to wipe each other out for cash prizes, The Quick and the Dead played up B-movie cliches as it paid homage to classics like Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy. With Raimi’s signature absurdist style in full force, this revisionist Western has finally gotten its due.
9
Despicable Me 4 (2024)
While a Despicable Me movie doing well on streaming is no surprise, viewers might be shocked to learn that Despicable Me 4 was actually the most-watched movie on Netflix in the first half of 2025. As a $5.6 billion franchise starring Steve Carell, viewers just can’t seem to get enough of the former supervillain Gru and his hilarious Minion accomplices.
Despicable Me 4 has managed to maintain its popularity well after its theatrical release and is yet another outstanding example of family-friendly movies racing up the streaming charts. This franchise sequel likely got a boost from kids’ tendency to rewatch their favorite movies on repeat.
8
The Intern (2015)
While Robert De Niro was one of the biggest stars of the 1970s, it’s a much more recent movie that’s continually making waves on Netflix. The Intern starred De Niro opposite Anne Hathaway in a story of unlikely friendship, mentorship, and finding new meaning in later life that’s struck a chord with viewers on streaming platforms.
Despite already being a decade old, The Intern shot to number one on Netflix’s US streaming charts after it landed on the platform in 2025. As a heartfelt and hilarious story that featured one of De Niro’s best comedic performances, The Intern hit all the right notes and stands as a crowd-pleasing favorite for viewers around the world.
7
Wall To Wall (2025)
Squid Game isn’t the only South Korean Netflix production to find major success with Netflix viewers worldwide, as Wall to Wall was a surprise hit in 2025. This mystery thriller starred Kang Ha-neul as Noh Woo-sung, a man who, after tirelessly saving up his money to buy an apartment, discovers things are not what they seem at his new home.
As the number one non-English language film on Netflix in July 2025, Wall to Wall also shot to number one in Japan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. The global success of Wall to Wall acts as proof that when the story and performances are good enough, global audiences will flock to international productions.
6
The Cursed (2021)
The underseen gothic horror The Cursed found belated success on Netflix as a top ten hit in 2025. Featuring Yellowstone’s Kelly Reilly, this creepy story of a werewolf plaguing a rural French village in the 19th century blended supernatural thrills with genuine scares and a dark, foreboding atmosphere.
The Cursed was an interesting take on werewolf mythology as a village struggled to come to terms with the true nature of the beast that was terrorizing their town. With buried secrets and an ancient curse haunting this rural population, The Cursed was an intriguing horror from writer and director Sean Ellis.
5
Wish Dragon (2021)
The fantasy comedy Wish Dragon was like Netflix’s answer to Disney’s Aladdin, as a college student named Din Song encounters a magical teapot that hosts a dragon who grants him three wishes. While this concept may be familiar, Wish Dragon was a crowd-pleasing animated feature that struck a chord with viewers on Netflix.
With a stellar voice cast including Jimmy Wong and John Cho, producer Jackie Chan even lent his voice to the Chinese Mandarin version of the film. Wish Dragon took the core tenets of Aladdin and applied them to a 21st-century Chinese context, making it a fascinating cultural remix that blends fantasy with modern-day Shanghai life.
4
Krampus (2015)
The Netflix streaming charts prove it’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit, as Krampus was an unlikely hit on the platform in July 2025. This Christmas comedy horror was inspired by the Austro-Bavarian folklore figure of Krampus, a demonic, horned beast who terrorizes naughty children during the Christmas season.
With great performances from the likes of Toni Collette and Adam Scott, Krampus delivered genuine scares all year round as a dysfunctional family encounters the demon during their stressful holiday period. The dark and foreboding atmosphere of Krampus meant it leaned heavily into the scary side of things, making it an effective addition to the Yuletide horror genre.
3
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
While this Matthew McConaughey legal thriller later spawned a hit Netflix series, the original The Lincoln Lawyer continues to find new viewers on streaming. Although most viewers will picture Dallas Buyers Club and Interstellar when they think of the McConaissance, The Lincoln Lawyer was just as essential a release in the actor’s late-career second wind.
With McConaughey as the lawyer Mick Haller, a case involving a wealthy client accused of assault brings up unsettling parallels with a previous case. As a film that’s as much about the ethics of practicing law as it is an engaging character study, it’s no surprise that Netflix opted to expand this hit movie into a television series.
2
Wanted (2008)
Angelina Jolie fans rediscovered one of her best action movies when Wanted shot up the Netflix streaming charts in 2025. With James McAvoy as the meek, young, wannabe assassin Wesley Allan Gibson and Jolie as his accomplished mentor, this story of secret societies and hidden fraternities stands as one of Jolie’s most underrated releases.
Having entered Netflix’s top ten 17 years after it was first released, Wanted was a stylish action movie that has maintained its energetic appeal all these years later. While plans for a sequel have stalled, the fact that Wanted has recently found renewed success might be just the push needed to get those talks off the ground again.
1
Trolls Band Together (2023)
Despite being the third installment in the Trolls franchise, Trolls Band Together consistently appears in the Netflix top ten streaming charts and has even topped it on some occasions. As a crowd-pleasing jukebox musical that actually reunited the members of NSYNC, it’s no surprise viewers have continually been enjoying this fun-filled animated adventure.
Trolls Band Together saw Justin Timberlake, who had been involved with the franchise since the beginning, get together with his NSYNC bandmates JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick. This makes this trequel a must-watch movie for fans of 1990s boy band culture and kid viewers alike.
Sources: Netflix, FlixPatrol
