Welcome to a two-part article series where we’ll be diving into the movies and series that have been dominating the Netflix top 10s. First, we’ll begin with the movies that performed the best according to the top 10 feature that was added around the world earlier in the year.
This data has been collated by Flixpatrol for us who monitors the Netflix top 10 movies and TV series every day in various countries around the world. Below, we’ll feature a few region’s top 10s for 2020 with the main list concentrated on the titles that have performed well around every country in the world in 2020.
Now it’s important to note that this list doesn’t necessarily indicate the movies that have been watched the most. It simply covers what titles lastest longest in the top 10s throughout the year.
We’re going to split this list into the top 10s for global, the United States, the United Kingdom and then cover a few other regions we found interesting.
Please note: all scores are as of December 28th, 2020.
Global Top 20 Movies on Netflix for 2020
One caveat before we dig into the global lists. You may notice the majority are Netflix Originals, that’s because they’re the widest available. Licensed movies tend to better in individual countries but movies with wide global releases on Netflix will feature the most in this list.
You’ll also notice the movies that dominate the top are all new releases. This supports many people’s philosophy that new releases, not library titles drive engagement and subscriptions.
1. 365 Days
Flixpatrol Global Score: 42,084
365 Days has been a true phenonium. The movie dominated the top 10s for the majority of the year and what was interesting too is how far and wide it traveled at the height of lockdown.
The Polish thriller, which received just as much negative publicity as positive, is a true enigma. Not only is it number one, it earned well over double the score of the second most popular title of the year.
2. Enola Holmes
Flixpatrol Year Score: 16,432
Its two main stars also likely boosted this one with particular emphasis on Millie Bobby-Brown who has become a huge star after her breakout performance on Netflix’s Stranger Things.
The movie traveled far and wide around the world and Netflix said the film attracted nearly 76 million household views in its first month.
3. The Christmas Chronicles Part 2
Flixpatrol Global Score: 15,416
Kurt Russell returned suited and booted in his Santas outfit for the sequel of The Christmas Chronicles which comes from Chris Columbus known for the Home Alone franchise.
This is the first of two Christmas movies that dominated the global list for 2020.
4. Holidate
Flixpatrol Global Score: 14,724
Netflix released a huge array of Christmas titles this year and it’s clear to see why – they do extraordinarily well. Holidate was one of the new rom-coms that dropped this year with Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey in leading roles.
Although reviews weren’t superb for the titles, audiences around the world clearly found a reason to watch all the way through and keep it in the top 10s.
5. The Old Guard
Flixpatrol Global Score: 13,583
The Old Guard is just one of the many action-driven movies that simply don’t have homes in cinemas any more but are supposedly thriving on Netflix.
Now let’s go even further up to the top 20!
- 6. The Social Dilemma
- 7. Project Power
- 8. The Kissing Booth 2
- 9. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
- 10. Extraction
- 11. Hubie Halloween
- 12. Over the Moon
- 13. The Devil All the Time
- 14. Work It
- 15. A California Christmas
- 16. Love, Guaranteed
- 17. American Murder: The Family Next Door
- 18. Feel The Beat
- 19. The Princess Switch: Switched Again
- 20. The Christmas Chronicles
United States Top 10 Movies on Netflix for 2020
For the United States, movies that performed the best tended to be aimed towards younger audiences and animated feature films did particularly well. You can also see that the Christmas movies did well over a long period of time too.
Only three movies of the top 10 in the United States are Netflix Original movies.
- Despicable Me
- The Grinch
- 365 Days
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- The Angry Birds Movie 2
- The Christmas Chronicles: Part 2
- Hubie Halloween
- Spenser Confidential
- The Lorax
- Angel Has Fallen
United Kingdom Top 10 Movies for 2020
Once again, Christmas movies did exceedingly well on Netflix in the UK. The Social Dilemma is one of the few documentaries to feature in any regional top 10 too.
Netflix Original movies fared better with 6 out of the 10 titles in the top 10 for the year.
- The Grinch
- 365 Days
- The Christmas Chronicles: Part 2
- Extraction
- The Christmas Chronicles
- The Old Guard
- The Social Dilemma
- Minions
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Enola Holmes
Australia Top 10 Movies for 2020
Despite the fact Netflix Australia has some excellent licensing deals where it carries newer Warner Brothers movies for example, Netflix Originals dominate. In fact, 80% of the top 10 are Netflix Originals (Spongebob is listed as an Original in Australia).
- The Grinch
- 365 Days
- Extraction
- The Christmas Chronicles: Part 2
- The Social Dilemma
- The Wrong Missy
- Holidate
- Project Power
- The Kissing Booth 2
- The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
Canada Top 10 Movies for 2020
Similar story for Netflix Canada where Netflix Originals dominate the top 10 with the big exception being the licensed pickup, Deadpool 2.
- The Christmas Chronicles: Part 2
- 365 Days
- The Social Dilemma
- The Grinch
- Extraction
- Hubie Halloween
- The Wrong Missy
- Deadpool 2
- The Old Guard
- Project Power
