Netflix Films Capture Audiences with Suspense and Holiday Cheer

LOS GATOS, Calif. — Suspense dominated viewer interest on Netflix last week as audiences flocked to intriguing new films. The South Korean disaster film, which has not been named, launched to the top with 27.9 million views. Meanwhile, ‘Knives Out 2,’ directed by Rian Johnson, maintained its No. 1 rank among English films for a second week, garnering 20.9 million views.

The disaster movie revolves around Koo An-na, played by Kim Da-mi, who is an artificial intelligence researcher trapped in a water-flooding high-rise with her son. As they fight for survival, Koo races against time to unveil a bigger mystery behind their predicament.

On the mystery front, ‘Knives Out 2’ follows detective Benoit Blanc, portrayed by Daniel Craig, as he investigates the murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, the prime suspect being a small-town priest, Jud Duplenticy, played by Josh O’Connor. This engaging tale helped the film achieve a total of 500 million views since its release.

In contrast, the Christmas comedy ‘Father Christmas Is Back,’ featuring Rowan Atkinson, claimed the No. 1 slot on the English film list, amassing 14.6 million views. In this sequel to the 2022 series, Atkinson reprises his character Trevor Bingley, who finds himself house-sitting a baby during a chaotic Christmas holiday.

The series ‘Emily in Paris’ returned for its fifth season, securing the No. 2 position with 13.5 million views. This season follows Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, as she transitions to Rome, balancing her work at Agence Grateau with a budding romance.

Further, as the holiday excitement builds, the boxing match featuring Jake Paul against Anthony Joshua attracted 10.9 million views, taking the No. 3 spot on the English TV list. In anticipation of ‘Stranger Things: Volume 2‘, the first volume continued to attract viewers, placing it at No. 4 with 8.2 million views, amid strong viewership for earlier seasons.

Moreover, the comedy special by Dave Chappelle premiered at No. 9 with 3.3 million views, showcasing his acerbic humor on various topics. New to Netflix was the true-crime documentary detailing the 1999 case of banker Edmond Safra, which reached No. 6 on the English film list with 6.3 million views.

As the Christmas season approaches, festive titles filled the English film landscape, from rom-coms to heartwarming adventures. Among them was ‘The Christmas Chronicles 2,’ starring Kurt Russell, which seized the No. 9 position with 3.5 million views. Another new release from Mexico also debuted with 3.1 million views, adding to the diverse festive offerings on the platform.