The results for the most-watched movie on Netflix in 2025 are in, and the result may surprise you. While there have been plenty of great original movies, underappreciated hidden gems, and mainstream megahits that have captured viewers’ attention this year, the film that stands supreme for Netflix viewers is actually part of a $5.6 billion franchise.

There have been lots of great Netflix movies to stream this year, as January started strong with the stop-motion triumph that was Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and soon comedy fans will enjoy an exciting sequel as Adam Sandler returns for Happy Gilmore 2. However, the most-watched movie on Netflix wasn’t an original and was actually the fourth in its franchise.

Despicable Me 4 Is The Most Watched Movie On Netflix In 2025

Children’s Movies Often Dominate The Streaming Charts

The latest Nielsen figures have revealed that Despicable Me 4 was the most popular movie on Netflix so far in 2025. As a family-friendly comedy that features the recognizable voice of Steve Carell as the former supervillain Gru, it seems audiences can’t get enough of Anti-Villain League agents and his hilarious Minion accomplices.

Despicable Me 4 boasts an impressive voice cast including Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Sofía Vergara, and Steve Coogan. These notable stars, along with some stellar animation, ensured the frantic slapstick and fast-paced humor of this acclaimed sequel could be enjoyed by the entire family.

It’s not surprising that an animated comedy aimed at a young audience rules supreme on Netflix, as family-friendly films often race up the charts due to kids’ tendency to repeatedly watch their favorite movies. As a film that grossed over $971 million at the box office, it doesn’t take a genius supervillain to predict Despicable Me 4’s success on Netflix.

What The Top 10 Nielsen Figures Tell Us About Our Viewing Habits

There Are Some Notable Patterns Within The Nielsen Figures

While Despicable Me 4 was the number one movie on Netflix in 2025, with 6.274 billion minutes viewed, it actually only ranks number two when looking at the overall charts. The number one Nielsen-ranked movie of the year so far is Moana 2 on Disney Plus, which boasts an impressive 7.227 billion minutes watched.

These aren’t the only family-friendly films to crack the top ten, as Moana stands at number four, The Wild Robot is number five, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is number six, and Frozen has maintained its enduring popularity at number nine. Even after years since their release, these тιтles continue to draw audiences thanks to their rewatchability and cross-generational appeal.

While movies aimed at older audiences, such as Back in Action, The Electric State, Wicked, and The Accountant 2, have also gained significant viewers, it’s kid-oriented content that gets the most views. Considering this, as well as the Despicable Me franchise grossing over $5 billion at the box office, don’t expect this series to go away anytime soon.