The Netflix top 10 lists are always shifting, and as of this week, 23 movies have claimed the No. 1 spot (per Netflix's tracking data). For those out of the loop, the rotating list gives subscribers a snapshot look at what’s trending on the world’s biggest streaming service. Being crowned Netflix No. 1 is an honor that only a few dozen movies achieve each year. That achievement means that millions of people are watching that movie at once.
So, you might think a No. 1 rank equals a quality watch. Sadly, that’s not always the case. I’ve seen plenty of subpar films claim the Netflix No. 1 spot in the past eight months, including “The Electric State,” “iHostage” and “The Old Guard 2.” Frankly, so far in 2025, I'd argue that more should-skip movies have ranked No. 1 than must-watch ones.
That’s why I’m picking out the five movies that reached the top of the Netflix top 10 this year, which deserve a spot in your watchlist. These are the best Netflix No. 1 movies of 2025 so far.
Best Netflix No. 1 movies in 2025 (so far)
'To Catch a Killer'
Stick with me here, but “To Catch a Killer” is an oddly comforting movie. I know that’s a bizarre descriptor for a mystery thriller about a troubled cop tracking down a serial killer, but this 2023 crime drama with Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendelsohn doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel, and instead is a movie that hits all the required beats in a way that just works. It’s anything but original, but it’s well-crafted and knows exactly what its target viewer wants.
In “To Catch a Killer, a ruthless killer is stalking the streets of Baltimore, and FBI agent Geoffrey Lammark (Mendelsohn) is tasked with assembling a team to catch the criminal. His wildcard appointment is young beat cop Eleanor Falco (Woodley), who is dealing with past trauma, but has a keen eye for detail and might be the key to solving the mystery.
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‘Havoc’
Let’s just say my enjoyment of “Havoc” proved to be something of a “hot take” when it dropped on Netflix back in April. The movie’s terrible 35% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is proof that its thin plot and dark aesthetic turned many viewers away. However, the stunning action choreography was enough to win me over, and “Havoc” contains some of my favourite fight sequences of the entire year. I’m more than happy to carry on championing this movie.
Directed by “The Raid” filmmaker Gareth Evans, “Havoc” is a hardboiled action-thriller that sees Tom Hardy play a bruised detective fighting his way through the city's criminal underbelly, exposing deep corruption and conspiracy along the way. Yes, I won’t deny that the narrative is flimsy, but the high-octane action is so fantastic that it’s enough to keep your attention. It also packs some of the most powerful shotgun blasts ever caught on camera.
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‘The Wild Robot’
“The Wild Robot” sees DreamWorks meet the high bar set by Disney’s animated crowd jewel, Pixar. It’s a family-friendly flick capable of reducing even the most cold-hearted adults to tears. Younger watchers will enjoy the vibrant art style and the whimsical characters, but grown-ups will be captivated by the compelling story of unexpected friendship and finding family in the most unlikely places.
The movie opens with a robot washing up on the shores of a mysterious remote island, and stranded with no means of returning to their home base, they are forced to adapt to survive in the harsh conditions. Initially feared by the island’s animal inhabitants, the robot, nicknamed Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), eventually becomes a mother to an orphaned gosling with some help from a wily fox (Pedro Pascal). It’s an emotionally rich tale with an important, even slightly predictable, message.
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‘Trainwreck: Poop Cruise’
I have never been on a cruise trip, and after watching “Trainwreck: Poop Cruise,” I don’t think I ever want to. Part of Netflix’s “Trainwreck” anthology series, which has been dropping new installments weekly this summer, “Poop Cruise” takes viewers inside a nautical disaster that really stinks (literally). It won’t just put you off cruises, but your streaming snacks as well.
The documentary follows an infamous cruise trip in 2013 that saw a fire damage the engines onboard and leave the ship drifting in the middle of the ocean just off the coast of Mexico. But the ship didn’t just lose sailing capabilities; the power and sanitation systems also failed. This left more than 4,000 passengers stuck onboard with food running out, no air conditioning and sewage leaking into the hallways. Not quite the dream vacation they signed up for.
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‘Plane’
“Plane” is a big, dumb action movie, and I’m very much okay with that. This 2016 movie starring Gerard Butler is another one that completely understands its target audience and plays to them quite expertly. It's full of ridiculously cheesy dialogue, and some narrative logic that is woolly at best, but it’s hard not to have a complete blast with a movie like this.
Brodie Torrance (Butler) is a commercial pilot and former Royal Air Force officer who manages to avert disaster by performing an emergency landing when his plane is struck by lightning. But that’s not the end of the ordeal, as the craft has landed in a warzone, and the surviving passengers are taken hostage. Torrance must now team up with Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), a man accused of murder who was only on the plane as he was in FBI custody, to save the day.
Watch on Netflix now
Every Netflix No. 1 movie in 2025 (so far)
- "Carry-On"
- "Despicable Me 2"
- "Back in Action"
- "Kinda Pregnant"
- "Aftermath"
- "To Catch a Killer"
- "Venom: The Last Dance"
- "Despicable Me 4"
- "The Electric State"
- "Den of Thieves 2 Pantera"
- "The Life List"
- "iHostage"
- "Havoc"
- "Exterritorial"
- "Nonnas"
- “Untold: The Fall of Favre”
- “The Wild Robot”
- “Tyler Perry’s Straw”
- “Plane”
- “Trainwreck Poop Cruise”
- “The Old Guard 2”
- “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding”
- “Happy Gilmore 2”
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- 5 best psychological thriller movies to stream on Netflix
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