According to recent data, the holiday season has seen a surge in streaming activity, with several Christmas-themed titles and the movie “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” dominating the charts on popular video on demand (VOD) platforms including streaming giants Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu.
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” rocketed to the top spot on Netflix right away (it had a one-week preview in the theatre a month ago). In terms of income, “Violent Night,” which stars an evil Santa, is still the #1 movie on Vudu, followed by iTunes and Google Play (calculating by transactions).
Christmas-themed titles have also proven to be a hit with viewers, with several holiday movies and TV shows climbing the charts on Netflix. “The Christmas Chronicles,” a heartwarming tale about a brother and sister who team up with Santa to save Christmas, has been a particularly popular choice, reaching the top of the Netflix charts in several countries.
Other popular Christmas titles on Netflix include “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby,” the third installment in the “A Christmas Prince” franchise, and “The Knight Before Christmas,” a romantic comedy about a medieval knight who is transported to the present day.
The success of these titles is a testament to the enduring appeal of holiday-themed content, as well as the power of strong storytelling and high-quality production. It also highlights the growing importance of streaming platforms in the entertainment industry, as more and more people turn to VOD and streaming services for their holiday entertainment needs.
Four earlier films about Christmas are among the top 10 movies on Netflix. Its top three entries, except for “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” are all brand-new. “The Invitation” stands second, followed by the original “Matilda: The Musical” at third. It was first made available through the streamer in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it made a very impressive $19 million (with token domestic showings earlier as well). It’s noteworthy that Working Title was one of its production businesses; among its numerous credits was “Les Miserables” for which seasoned producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner were responsible.
Christmas is a theme or setting for 22 out of the 40 slots in the three VOD + Netflix top 10 lists that we cover. And when they are taken into account, 23 of the 40 spots belong to movies that were out before 2022. “The Grinch” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (both from Universal) top every list, while “Elf,” “Christmas Vacation,” “The Polar Express,” and “Die Hard” (both from Disney) each land on two. Renting them all ran $3.99.
In addition to these two titles, several other family movies and TV shows have been performing well on the charts. “A Christmas Carol“, a reimagining of the classic Dickens tale, has been a hit on Netflix, while the holiday special “It’s a Wonderful Life” has seen a surge in viewership on VOD platforms.
The success of these Christmas-themed titles demonstrates the enduring appeal of the holiday season and the enduring power of classic holiday tales. “There’s just something about the holiday season that brings people together and brings out the best in us,” said Aniston. “I think that’s why these types of stories continue to resonate with audiences year after year.”
Despite the dominance of these holiday titles and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” there have been a number of other notable releases on VOD and streaming platforms in recent weeks. The highly anticipated second season of “The Mandalorian” has been a hit on Disney+, while the action-packed thriller “1917” has received critical acclaim and strong viewership on Amazon Prime Video.
As the holiday season continues and more people look for ways to stay entertained at home, it will be interesting to see which titles continue to dominate the charts on VOD and streaming platforms. Whether it’s heartwarming Christmas movies or captivating documentaries, it’s clear that there is no shortage of great content available for viewers to enjoy.
Audiences around the globe are enjoying their holidays by binge watching shows on OTT platforms in their favorite winter season. Everyone is loving shows and movies based on Christmas or holidays, as they are able to relate with real life happenings.
What is your favorite show for the holiday? Let us know in the comment section below.
Chris Mack
