Netflix racked up 11 No. 1 movies in 2025 so far — here’s the 3 worth watching
We’re more than a third of the way through 2025 and now is a great time to take stock of which Netflix movies have claimed the No. 1 spot this year. As of this week, 11 movies have risen to the top spot in the U.S. (per Netflix’s tracking).
With millions of subscribers and thousands of flicks available, it’s no small feat to be crowned No. 1 in the Netflix top 10 most-watched list. But to be frank, so far this year, a lot of garbage has secured the title. Movies like “The Electric State” and “Kinda Pregnant” may have amassed millions of viewing hours, but they represent a huge amount of watching time wasted.
That’s why I’m picking out the small handful of movies that have scored Netflix No. 1 in 2025 that are actually worth adding to your watchlist. I can’t pretend these three movies don’t have their flaws, but they’re the current cream of the Netflix top 10 crop in 2025.
Best Netflix No.1 movies in 2025 (so far)
‘Carry-On’
It may be horribly out of season now, but “Carry-On” held onto the Netflix No. 1 spot through the first week of January.
I wouldn’t typically recommend a holiday movie in the middle of April, but with such slim pickings, I’d advise watching “Carry-On” over the likes of “Aftermath” or “Venom: The Last Dance.” Inspired by “Die Hard,” this action-thriller set during the most wonderful time of the year is a blast and packs plenty of exciting moments.
During the dreaded Christmas Eve shift at LAX, Ethan (Taron Egerton) is a young TSA agent whose already bad day gets a lot worse when a mysterious passenger (Jason Bateman) attempts to blackmail him into allowing a dangerous package onto a sold-out flight.
The shifting dynamic between Egerton and Bateman keeps the flick exciting, and while the momentum stalls a bit in the third act, the opening portion is impressively constructed. If really don’t want to watch a Christmas movie in spring, then at least add it to your watchlist for later.
Watch on Netflix now
‘To Catch a Killer
For my next pick, I was torn between “To Catch a Killer” and “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.” Both are pretty flawed but have their bright spots along the way.
I went with “To Catch a Killer” because I found its detective mystery more engrossing than “Den of Thieves 2’s” overly macho action. Plus, this one includes Ben Mendelsohn, a very underrated actor. Here, he plays the head of an FBI task force attempting to catch an unidentified serial killer.
To track down the murderer, Mendelsohn’s Lammark brings in a beat cop, Eleanor (Shailene Woodley), with a knack for reading people. However, Eleanor is battling demons, and they threaten to overwhelm her and put the entire investigation at risk.
There’s nothing all that original about “To Catch a Killer.” A troubled cop hunting for a killer isn’t a unique hook, but Woodley and Mendelsohn team up well, and the mystery unfolds at a pace that’ll keep you invested.
Watch on Netflix now
‘The Life List’
Action-thriller movies often dominate the Netflix top 10, which makes the current holder of the No. 1 spot in the U.S., “The Life List,” stand out.
Granted, “The Life List” only stands out when compared to the other Netflix No. 1 movies so far in 2025. This rom-com certainly doesn’t appear fresh when compared to its genre contemporaries. It’s about as safe as they come.
Sofia Carson plays a woman who gets a new lease on living when she sets about completing a “Life List” made when she was 13. This unusual task is set by her recently deceased mother (Connie Britton) and communicated via a series of videos recorded just before her passing.
The sappy movie does everything in its power to make viewers cry, and there’s no denying the Netflix original is emotionally manipulative. Fortunately, it’s glossy and feel-good enough to be just about worth watching in a pinch. Though, it’s a shame it runs a ludicrous two hours instead of a tight 90 minutes. This one really should have been short.
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”
More from Tom’s Guide
Source link
