Netflix Dominates the Year’s Biggest New Streaming Movies, but Disney+ Holds the Top Spot
The streaming wars have produced plenty of hits this year, from big-budget originals to box office blockbusters landing on subscription platforms. Netflix has kept up a steady run of originals, and Disney+ has brought some of the year’s biggest theatrical films to its subscribers.
Comparing those releases has been tricky, since each platform reports its own numbers in its own way. A new Nielsen-based breakdown makes the comparison much easier. What’s on Netflix looked at the 20 most-watched new streaming films released this year, measured over their first 14 days in the US using Nielsen content viewing equivalents (CVEs). The results show Netflix with a clear lead.
Netflix accounts for 12 of the 20 titles, or 60% of the list. Prime Video has 4 entries, Disney+ has 3, and Peacock has 1. Netflix may have the most titles, but it doesn’t have the biggest one. Disney+’s ‘Zootopia 2’ leads the chart with a score of 30.1, well ahead of the rest of the field.
That fits the animated sequel’s record-breaking run. It earned $1.866 billion at the global box office and became the highest-grossing animated movie in MPA history, and it drew about 32 million views worldwide in its first 7 days on Disney+ after debuting in March.
Disney+ also has 2 more titles in the upper half of the chart. ‘Toy Story 5’ is 3rd with 23.1, and ‘Hoppers’ is 6th with 18.7, which means the 3 Disney titles all landed in the top 6. Netflix’s strongest performer is ‘The Rip’ in 2nd place with 27.5. The film had the biggest opening of any Netflix English-language movie this year when it premiered in January, with 41.6 million views on its opening weekend, and it was the only one to spend 3 weeks at No. 1.
Who is really dominating streaming movies in 2026? Looking at the Top 20 most-watched new streaming films in their first 14 days (US / Nielsen CVEs): 🔴 Netflix: 12 (60%) 🔵 Prime Video: 4 🏰 Disney+: 3 🦚 Peacock: 1 https://t.co/TaQt34dCd0
— What’s on Netflix (@whatonnetflix) November 2, 2026
‘War Machine’ and ‘GOAT’ tie for 4th place with 21.5 million each. According to What’s on Netflix’s own tracking, ‘War Machine’ has the highest total viewership of any new English-language Netflix movie this year, at around 153 million views. ‘APEX’ follows in 7th place with 18.3. It drew 105.2 million views in its first 28 days on Netflix.
The next stretch of the chart is almost all Netflix and extremely close. ‘The Last House’ scored 17.0, ‘Thrash’ landed at 16.6, ‘The Whisper Man’ at 16.5, ‘Swapped’ at 16.4 and ’72 Hours’ at 16.3.
In a dystopian Japan, the nation is ruled by a game show giving its host absolute power. QUIZTOPIA — based on the 1993 Japanese manga Kokumin Quiz — premieres December 17. https://t.co/3XcNJBH0zo
— Netflix (@netflix) November 2, 2026
These results also show that a slow start doesn’t have to hold a movie back. ‘Swapped’ opened with just 15.5 million views on Netflix but then grew steadily, spending 13 weeks in the platform’s Top 10, the longest run of any new English-language Netflix film this year.
‘The Last House’, which What’s on Netflix called the biggest movie of the summer for the streamer, drew 78.8 million views in its first 28 days. ‘The Whisper Man’ opened at No. 2 before climbing to No. 1 in its first full week.
The perfect captain. The perfect life. The perfect cover. Meet Anya. The Body premieres in 9 days. https://t.co/Meguw0tW11
— Netflix (@netflix) November 2, 2026
The breakdown shows the different strategies at work. Netflix relies on volume, with a steady stream of originals that consistently pull in big audiences, while Disney+ depends on fewer but bigger titles that arrive after hugely successful theatrical runs. Prime Video and Peacock trail behind, with 5 titles between them. With several major releases still to come before the end of the year, the rankings could still shift.
Which streaming service delivered your favorite new movie this year?
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
