Netflix has revealed its most popular non-English language films and TV series in the U.S., with the list containing an interesting mix of titles from Europe, Asia and South America, plus a few surprises.
Spanish-language genre pic The Platform, set in a nightmarish vertical-style prison, tops the list of most-watched movies after being released in March this year, when lockdowns first hit America. Netflix does not tend to reveal specific viewing statistics, and these charts do not include solid numbers, but the company did previously note this one was watched by 56 million households in its first four weeks of release, making the title one of its most watched original movies ever (by comparison, The Irishman was seen by an estimated 40 million households in its first 28 days).
The most-watched series was German show Barbarians, a historical drama about Germanic warriors fighting the Roman Empire in 9 AD. The show is arguably a surprise inclusion at the top of the chart, considering it only debuted on October 23 and received mixed reviews. Netflix has not yet detailed any specific viewing numbers but it has eclipsed high-profile titles such as the Spanish show Money Heist (fourth on the list) and German series Dark (third).
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The lists, which you can see in full below, are based on the number of U.S. accounts that played at least two minutes or any film or TV series during its first 28 days on the platform. These are all-time lists, though lean towards newer content due to Netflix’s growing subscriber base, and on recurring shows the season with the highest viewers has been counted.
Other notable inclusions on the film list include Cuties, the French pic that whipped up controversy in the U.S. after an initial poster and trailer were released back in the summer, with people claiming the content sexualized children. The title was largely exonerated by the reception to the full film when it was put out on the platform, but the controversy evidently did no harm to its viewing figures.
Martial arts sequel Ip Man 4: The Finale, again starring Donnie Yen, came fifth on the film list, one spot ahead of Korean zombie pic #Alive, which was another early pandemic era viewing success story.
Second on the TV list was Danish post-apocalyptic show The Rain, which concluded with its third and final season in August. The rest of the varied list includes titles from Russia (To The Lake), Mexico (Dark Desire), Colombia (Always A Witch), and Turkey (The Protector).
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the most watched titles.
Netflix’s most-watched international films in the U.S.
1. The Platform (Spain)
2. Lost Bullet (France)
3. Rogue City (France)
4. #Alive (South Korea)
5. Ip Man 4: The Finale (Hong Kong)
6. Kidnapping Stella (Germany)
7. Cuties (France)
8. The Crew (France)
9. The Paramedic (Spain)
10. Freaks: You’re One of Us (Germany)
Netflix’s most-watched international series in the U.S.
1. Barbarians (Germany)
2. The Rain (Denmark)
3. Dark (Germany)
4. Money Heist (Spain)
5. Dark Desire (Mexico)
6. Ragnarok (Norway)
7. Always a Witch (Colombia)
8. To the Lake (Russia)
9. The Seven Deadly Sins: Imperial Wrath of the Gods (Japan)
10. The Protector (Turkey)