Netflix Tops with 28 Years Later as Hulu, HBO Max and Disney+ Highlight Trendy Titles
The year’s streaming chatter centers on a horror hit on Netflix, while Hulu, HBO Max and Disney+ showcase biopics, a superhero drama, and a Pixar adventure.
28 Years Later is the top movie on Netflix, according to the platform's public ranking system. The third installment in the 28 Days Later franchise picks up nearly three decades after the Rage virus outbreak that defined the original 2002 film, following a group of survivors living on a remote island. When one member of the group ventures into the mainland, he discovers a mutation that has spread to other survivors, raising the stakes for everyone on the island.
The film features a high-profile cast, led by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes, with Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Christopher Fulford, Edvin Ryding, Stella Gonet and Jack O’Connell also in the ensemble. The movie lands in theaters on Jan. 16 and has already fuelled interest for a potential sequel. The studio has teased a follow-up, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, with Nia DaCosta directing and Fiennes, Williams and O’Connell slated to reprise their roles. After a summer surge in horror-screening demand, 28 Years Later has become a standout entry in the season’s streaming conversation.
Meanwhile, streaming audiences across platforms are turning to other high-profile releases. On Hulu, Swiped leads the way as the platform's top movie; the biopic chronicles the real-life founder of Bumble. Lily James stars as Whitney Wolfe Herd, who co-founded the dating app Tinder and later built her own company with a female-forward focus. Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, the film also features Jackson White, Myha’la and Dan Stevens in supporting roles.
On HBO Max, Superman holds the top spot. The James Gunn-directed DC film stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, who becomes entangled in an international crisis orchestrated by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). To regain public support, Corenswet’s character turns to Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and his cadre of superhero allies. The film's cast also includes Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Frank Grillo, Wendell Pierce, Skyler Gisondo, Mikaela Hoover, Beck Bennett and Christopher McDonald.
Elio, Pixar's latest, is trending as the top movie on Disney+. The animated feature follows an 11-year-old space enthusiast who longs to be abducted by aliens. When a cosmic misadventure launches him millions of miles from home, Elio must navigate unfamiliar civilizations and form new bonds with alien lifeforms who help him explore who he is meant to be.
Taken together, the cross-platform top titles illustrate a crowded streaming landscape where audiences are drawn to high-profile franchises, biopics, superhero sagas and family-friendly animation. The Netflix top for 28 Years Later underscores the continued appetite for horror and genre cinema, while Hulu, HBO Max and Disney+ highlight how studios are aligning marquee releases with subscribers’ evolving viewing habits. As the year unfolds, executives will be watching how these rankings translate into engagement and subscriber retention across services.