This Netflix Flop Topped 'Wicked' as 2025's Biggest Streamer

Wicked may not be as popular as fans of the long-awaited screen adaptation of the Broadway sensation might have led you to believe, at least insofar as streaming is concerned.

The first theatrical installment — which whizzed into theaters in November 2024 — certainly had a magical effect on the domestic and global box offices, as well as last year's Oscars.

But it was one of Netflix's most highly-anticipated films of 2025, and biggest letdowns, that ultimately defied expectations (and gravity) to top the charts.

Which film broke through the noise?

Netflix's Happy Gilmore 2, Adam Sandler's hotly anticipated, star-studded (or bloated, depending on how you look at the cameo-per-minute ratio) took the top slot of 2025's Top Streaming Movies — General Audiences, according to Nielsen.

The flick racked up 7.1 billion minutes on Netflix, since its late July premiere, at which point Nielsen says it "immediately set a new weekly viewing record for a streaming movie."

Wicked, meanwhile, was viewed 6.8 billion minutes across Peacock and Prime Video, ranking among Nielsen's Streaming Top 10 upon its spring 2025 debut on Peacock, and "returned toward the end of the year — this time on Prime Video — amid the theatrical release of Wicked: For Good."

Wicked, for its part, was sandwiched right between that and the streamer's widely panned action-comedy Back in Action's — which reunited Any Given Sunday stars Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, and was watched for 6 billion minutes.

How do the top-three stack up critically?

For reference, Happy Gilmore 2, the follow-up to Adam Sandler's beloved 1996 golf comedy, currently holds a 62% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a 52 mixed or average score on Metacritic.

Wicked — which racked up nearly $475 million at the U.S. box office, and over $758 million worldwide — boasts an 88% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a generally favorable score of 73 on Metacritic. The musical won two Oscars for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design, and was nominated for 8 others, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Cynthia Erivo), Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande).

Back in Action, by contrast, holds a 31% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and mixed or average score of 46 on Metacritic.

What other films made the charts?

Modern classics Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came in at number 4 with 4.9 billion minutes across Peacock and HBO Max, followed by Home Alone at number 5 with 4.5 billion minutes between Hulu and Disney+.

The top 10 was rounded out by a combination of nostalgia play and new releases, with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (4.4 billion minutes) at number 6 and The Accountant 2 (4.2 billion minutes) at number 7.

Slots 8 through 10 were all occupied by Netflix viewership: The Electric State at 3.9 billion minutes, Kraven the Hunter at 3.7 billion minutes and Madea's Destination Wedding at 3.6 billion minutes.