The most popular movies to stream right now
The most popular movies to stream right now
There's no better time to be an entertainment aficionado than today. According to Nielsen's 2023 State of Play report, audiences nowadays are spoiled for choice, with more than 2.7 million video titles available across various platforms—almost a million more than just two years ago. In addition, streamers can ping pong between 167 unique streaming sources too—think Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, just to name a few. With so much to choose from, it's not a surprise that audiences typically spend as much as 10 minutes (probably even more) looking for something to watch. With so many options, it can be hard to know where to start when picking what to stream for your next movie night.
To help narrow your options, Stacker compiled a list of the 20 most popular movies across all streaming platforms. Using data from Reelgood, with IMDb ratings and additional data points added for extra insights, the list is a far better way to select your next watch than scrolling through Netflix, Hulu, Max, Amazon Prime, etc. looking for that perfect, buzzy feature. The selection (which updates bi-monthly to keep you apprised of what's hot right now) includes a wide selection of picks, from recent Oscar nominees to the season's biggest blockbusters to genre-specific hits of the past several decades. So whether you enjoy a tense drama, a sci-fi epic, or a sweet rom-com, there's almost certainly something here that will strike your interest.
If you're more interested in what's coming soon than what's already available to stream, the list can help you there too. As existing franchises tease new installments and actors and directors announce their newest projects, the respective backlists typically see a huge resurgence in popularity. Meaning all you need to do is keep an eye on what folks are watching now and you'll have a fairly good idea of what's to come in the next several months. So without further ado, read on to see what movies audiences across the country are streaming!
#20. Hocus Pocus
- Streaming on: Disney+ (subscription)
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Family
- Director: Kenny Ortega
- Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy
- Release date: July 16, 1993
#19. Trick 'r Treat
- Runtime: 82 minutes
- Genre: Horror
- Director: Michael Dougherty
- Cast: Brian Cox, Quinn Lord, and Anna Paquin
- Release date: Dec. 10, 2007
#18. Halloween II
- Runtime: 92 minutes
- Genres: Thriller and Horror
- Director: Rick Rosenthal
- Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, and Charles Cyphers
- Release date: Oct. 30, 1981
#17. Mad Monster Party?
- Streaming on: Plex (free)
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Genres: Animation and Comedy
- Director: Jules Bass
- Cast: Boris Karloff, Allen Swift, and Gale Garnett
- Release date: July 26, 1967
#16. The Thing
- Runtime: 109 minutes
- Genres: Mystery and Horror
- Director: John Carpenter
- Cast: Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Wilford Brimley
- Release date: June 25, 1982
#15. I Know What You Did Last Summer
- Runtime: 101 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Mystery
- Director: Jim Gillespie
- Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Freddie Prinze Jr.
- Release date: Oct. 17, 1997
#14. Casper
- Streaming on: Netflix (subscription)
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Family
- Director: Brad Silberling
- Cast: Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, and Malachi Pearson
- Release date: May 26, 1995
#13. Something's Gotta Give
- Streaming on: Prime Video (rent/buy)
- Runtime: 128 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Romance
- Director: Nancy Meyers
- Cast: Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, and Keanu Reeves
- Release date: Dec. 12, 2003
#12. Young Frankenstein
- Streaming on: fuboTV (subscription)
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Genres: Comedy and Horror
- Director: Mel Brooks
- Cast: Gene Wilder, Teri Garr, and Marty Feldman
- Release date: Dec. 15, 1974
#11. Annie Hall
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Comedy
- Director: Woody Allen
- Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, and Tony Roberts
- Release date: April 20, 1977
#10. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
- Streaming on: Apple TV+ (subscription)
- Runtime: 25 minutes
- Genres: Animation and Comedy
- Director: Bill Melendez
- Cast: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, and Sally Dryer
- Release date: Oct. 25, 1966
#9. Ghostbusters
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Genres: Action & Adventure and Horror
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Sigourney Weaver
- Release date: June 8, 1984
#8. The First Wives Club
- Streaming on: Hoopla (subscription)
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: Hugh Wilson
- Cast: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton
- Release date: Sept. 20, 1996
#7. Halloween
- Streaming on: Hulu (subscription)
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: David Gordon Green
- Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, and Andi Matichak
- Release date: Oct. 17, 2018
#6. Practical Magic
- Streaming on: MAX (subscription)
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Genres: Romance and Drama
- Director: Griffin Dunne
- Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and Goran Visnjic
- Release date: Oct. 16, 1998
#5. Sleepy Hollow
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Fantasy
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Miranda Richardson
- Release date: Nov. 19, 1999
#4. Coraline
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genres: Drama and Horror
- Director: Henry Selick
- Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and Jennifer Saunders
- Release date: Feb. 6, 2009
#3. Scream
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Crime
- Director: Wes Craven
- Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, and Courteney Cox
- Release date: Dec. 20, 1996
#2. Halloween
- Runtime: 91 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Thriller
- Director: John Carpenter
- Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Nancy Kyes
- Release date: Oct. 25, 1978
#1. The Black Phone
- Streaming on: Peacock Premium (subscription)
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Genres: Horror and Mystery
- Director: Scott Derrickson
- Cast: Mason Thames, Ethan Hawke, and Madeleine McGraw
- Release date: June 17, 2022
