Netflix has released its comprehensive engagement report for the first half of 2024, providing a detailed look at the most-watched films and series on the platform globally between January and June. According to the data published by Netflix, the war drama Society of the Snow (La sociedad de la nieve) secured the top spot among films, while the third season of the period drama Bridgerton dominated the television category, reflecting significant shifts in viewer preferences throughout the streaming giant’s international markets.
The report, titled What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report, covers hours viewed for nearly 100,000 titles, accounting for approximately 99% of all viewing on the service. The metrics indicate that international and non-English language content continues to command a substantial share of global audience attention, a trend that has been accelerating since the company began releasing these biannual transparency reports in late 2023.
Film Performance and the Dominance of Global Stories
Society of the Snow, directed by J.A. Bayona, emerged as the most-watched film during the first six months of 2024, recording 103.8 million views. The film, which depicts the 1972 Andes flight disaster, outperformed several high-budget English-language productions. Its success underscores the platform’s strategy of investing in localized storytelling that resonates with a worldwide audience, as confirmed by the official Netflix engagement statistics.
Following the top-ranked film, the action-comedy Damsel, starring Millie Bobby Brown, also garnered significant viewership, placing high on the list alongside other popular titles like Lift and Under Paris. The data shows that genre-driven films—specifically action, thriller, and survival dramas—consistently attract the highest volume of repeat engagement during the release window.
Bridgerton and the Television Landscape
In the television category, the third season of Bridgerton claimed the number one position, accumulating 91.9 million views within the reporting period. The Regency-era romance series remains a cornerstone of Netflix’s scripted content strategy. The report also highlighted the strong performance of Fool Me Once and Baby Reindeer, both of which maintained high viewership figures throughout the spring of 2024.
The figures for television series are calculated by dividing the total hours viewed by the total runtime of the season or film. This methodology allows for a more standardized comparison between long-form series and feature-length movies, a shift in reporting that Netflix implemented to provide greater clarity to creators and investors, according to the company’s official report documentation.
Trends in Viewing Habits
Several other titles saw notable success during the first half of the year, including the thriller The Rip and the mystery-drama His & Hers, which captured significant interest in specific regional markets. The engagement data reveals that viewers are increasingly willing to engage with limited series and international productions that were previously considered niche.
Industry analysts note that these reports are part of a broader effort by Netflix to provide transparency to the creative community and the public regarding content performance. By sharing granular data, the company aims to demonstrate the long-term value of its content library, rather than focusing solely on opening-weekend spikes. The next update, covering the latter half of 2024, is expected to be released in early 2025.
Readers interested in the full dataset and detailed breakdowns by region can access the official Netflix engagement report. Please share your thoughts on these rankings or discuss your favorite shows from the first half of the year in the comments section below.
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