It says everything that the two most streamed titles in America right now are Anora, a bruising indie about sex work and survival, and Squid Game, a Korean social horror where debt equals death.
Two wildly different works—one grounded in Brooklyn strip clubs, the other built on surreal deathmatch theatrics—and yet they meet somewhere deeper. Somewhere… raw.
Because what we’re watching right now says a lot about what we’re feeling.
What We Chose to Watch While the World Burned
JustWatch, the global streaming guide trusted by over 55 million users monthly, dropped their semiannual breakdown of the most streamed titles in the U.S. from January to June 2025. Their data isn’t passive—it’s engagement-based, tracking what users actively clicked on, added to watchlists, and marked as seen. This isn’t just what was “available.” It’s what people actually showed up for.
And there’s a theme emerging.
Viewers leaned heavily into extremes: austere dramas, speculative nightmares, body horror, Vatican conspiracies, architectural manifestos, and yes—creepers lurking in pixelated block worlds.
If last year was about comfort TV, 2025 is leaning into something darker.
‘Anora’ Isn’t Just a Movie. It’s a Reckoning.
The indie darling Anora (released in 2024) dominated the Oscars earlier this year, sweeping five major categories including Best Picture, Director, and Actress (a searing Mikey Madison). But it’s the afterglow—the streaming numbers—that confirms its cultural firepower.
Directed with tactile urgency, the film follows a Brooklyn stripper navigating unexpected love, layered trauma, and spiritual exhaustion. Not an easy watch. But maybe that’s the point.
It’s resonating not because it’s fun—but because it hurts.
Same goes for The Substance, which took the #3 movie slot. A body horror symphony that makes Black Swan look like a TED Talk, it claws at the boundary between identity and illusion. And yes, people streamed it. In droves.
The Church, the Cube, and the Capitalism of Time
At #2 is Conclave—a taut, politically tinged thriller about Vatican secrecy that gained momentum in the wake of Pope Francis’s real-life passing. Its timing was eerie. Its relevance? Unmistakable.
Meanwhile, Minecraft: The Movie brought in waves of younger audiences and nostalgic adults alike. Its April 4, 2025 theatrical release was a box office juggernaut, and its streaming debut on Max quickly followed. A pixelated romp? Sure. But also, perhaps, a symbol of how we crave control—worlds we can build, when the real one feels… less malleable.
That same existential anxiety pulses through Paradise, a breakout sci-fi series (streaming on Hulu) where years of life can be sold like currency. What’s your time worth? And how much are you willing to give?
Dark. Too dark. Uncomfortably dark. But also—brilliant.
TV Wasn’t Safer. In Fact, It Got Weirder.
The top-streamed series, Squid Game, is no surprise. Its second season hasn’t even dropped yet (expected late 2025), but the first still haunts viewers. Netflix has milked every drop of its global reach here.
Severance (#2) and The White Lotus (#3) are both proof that we’re craving control—but in increasingly disorienting ways. The former slices your work life from your real one. The latter coats capitalist critique in luxurious rot and Emmy gold.
Then there’s The Pitt (#5), the newest and strangest of the bunch. Visually dreamlike. Emotionally unmoored. Not a hit in the traditional sense—but it’s talked about. Which, in streaming terms, is almost better.
But Here’s the Thing…
This list isn’t about what’s best. It’s about what stuck.
These ten films and ten series found ways to stay with us—through trauma, thrill, chaos, confusion. Through brilliant cinematography and sometimes baffling endings.
That’s what makes a top streamer now. Not just accessibility, but echo.
Streaming isn’t just a mirror. It’s a confessional.
And if these titles are the story of America in early 2025?
We’re conflicted. Curious. Mourning. And maybe—just maybe—finally ready to feel again.
Top 10 Most Streamed Movies – U.S., Jan–June 2025
| Rank | Title | Streaming On | Release Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anora | Hulu | 2024 | 5 Oscar wins, Best Picture |
| 2 | Conclave | Prime Video | 2024 | Spiked after Pope Francis’s passing |
| 3 | The Substance | Mubi | 2024 | 5 Oscar noms, psychological horror |
| 4 | Minecraft: The Movie | Max | 2025 (Apr 4) | Major box office, huge debut |
| 5 | The Brutalist | Max | 2024 | Historical drama, architecture themes |
| 6 | A Real Pain | Hulu | 2024 | Indie road dramedy |
| 7 | A Complete Unknown | Hulu | 2024 | Bob Dylan biopic |
| 8 | Companion | Max | 2025 | Sci-fi thriller |
| 9 | Flow | Max | 2024 | Under-the-radar hit |
| 10 | Heretic | Max | 2024 | Religious horror |
Top 10 Most Streamed TV Shows – U.S., Jan–June 2025
| Rank | Title | Streaming On | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squid Game | Netflix | Anticipated S2, still dominates |
| 2 | Severance | Apple TV+ | Psychological office horror |
| 3 | The White Lotus | Max | Luxury satire, Emmy-winner |
| 4 | Paradise | Hulu | Time-as-currency dystopia |
| 5 | The Pitt | Max | Surreal, divisive newcomer |
| 6 | The Last of Us | Max | Apocalypse continues |
| 7 | INVINCIBLE | Prime Video | Animated violence, moral weight |
| 8 | Silo | Apple TV+ | Post-apocalyptic mystery |
| 9 | Adolescence | Netflix | Teen angst meets sci-fi |
| 10 | Reacher | Prime Video | Classic, punchy action series |
