Every year, great new movies are released, but especially when it comes to what is most watched on streaming platforms, there is little public data. However, Netflix has now revealed which film was watched the most worldwide on their platform in 2024.
Where do the data come from? While it is always very clear in cinemas which films are currently performing well, it is not always as transparent with streaming providers like Netflix and others. However, Netflix has now released a large amount of data.
This includes which film was watched the most on the platform from January to June 2024. A medieval fantasy film is in the lead by a good margin.
Here you can see the trailer for Damsel:
Damsel throws you into the Middle Ages
What is the film about? The film “Damsel” is by far number 1 on Netflix. With over 143 million views worldwide, it is ahead of the film “Lift” with Kevin Hart.
In Damsel, we follow Elodie, daughter of Lord Bayford. The impoverished land nobleman is on the verge of ruin because the lands no longer yield any produce and firewood is running out for him and his subordinates.
Out of necessity, they decide to marry Elodie off to a distant land. Even though Elodie would have preferred to choose her partner herself, she faces her fate and travels to the distant land.
The rulers there have great wealth, which overwhelms the young noblewoman. However, she has no idea that it is all just a trap, as shortly after her wedding, she is thrown into the dragon’s lair as a sacrifice.
There, she encounters a fire-breathing dragon and realizes that she is not the first to experience this fate.
How is the film received? The film has surprisingly mixed ratings on IMDb.com, as it has a rating of only 6.1 out of 10 stars. Users mention in their reviews that the film is quite nice, sufficient for a movie night, but not extremely well thought out or exciting.
On Reddit, users are reacting to the top spot on Netflix. They can hardly explain why exactly this film is in first place. The most popular theory involves a frequently overlooked target audience: children.
In the comments on Reddit, users such as DukeofVermont say: “And you don’t need that many kids, because they watch it a bit more than 25 times. Disney’s numbers are all films that kids watch over and over and over again.”
Whether children are really the reason why Damsel is in first place or if it’s due to the well-made dragon cannot be definitively clarified. However, it is still interesting that a rather mixed film reaches first place. In video games, this would likely be less conceivable, especially when looking at the developers of the legendary Skyrim: Skyrim developers talk about the pressure for Elder Scrolls 6 – employees “bury their heads in their hands and cry”
