It only took twenty-four hours for The Rip to absolutely demolish the competition. Released on January 16, 2026, this gritty crime thriller starring the reunited powerhouse duo of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon has officially claimed the title of the most popular movie on Netflix worldwide.
Honestly? It's kind of a relief. After a month dominated by cozy rom-coms and "comfort watches," audiences were clearly starving for something with a bit more teeth. Directed by Joe Carnahan—the mind behind Smokin' Aces and The Grey—this isn't just another generic streaming filler. It’s a high-stakes, sweat-inducing Miami noir that currently sits at #1 in 85 different countries.
Why The Rip is Dominating the Charts
Everyone keeps talking about the "Maffleck" reunion, and yeah, that’s a huge part of the draw. But if you think people are only watching because they like seeing the Good Will Hunting guys back together, you're missing the bigger picture.
The story follows two Miami detectives who stumble upon $24 million in an abandoned stash house. Simple, right? Wrong. The tension isn’t just about the money; it’s about the total disintegration of trust. Ben Affleck plays a veteran cop on the verge of a breakdown, while Damon is the partner trying to keep them both from drowning. It’s dark. It’s loud. It feels like the kind of mid-budget adult thriller that Hollywood stopped making for theaters but Netflix has perfected for our living rooms.
Before The Rip dropped, the top spot was held firmly by People We Meet on Vacation, the adaptation of Emily Henry’s massive bestseller. It’s a complete 180-degree turn in tone. One day we're watching people fall in love on a sunny beach, and the next, we're watching Matt Damon try to survive a shootout in a neon-lit warehouse. That’s the Netflix algorithm for you—it knows exactly when we’re bored of being happy.
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Current Netflix Global Top 10 (January 17, 2026)
To give you an idea of what else people are bingeing right now, here is how the global leaderboard looks today.
- The Rip – The undisputed king.
- People We Meet on Vacation – Still holding strong at #2 for the romance crowd.
- One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 – A documentary that's basically a placeholder for everyone waiting for the final season.
- KPop Demon Hunters – This musical fantasy is apparently a massive sleeper hit.
- How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – Don't ask me why, but kids (and nostalgic adults) are keeping this 2019 flick in the top 5.
- Accepted – A 2006 comedy that randomly trended this week.
- The Man in the Iron Mask – Leonardo DiCaprio’s 90s era is having a moment.
- Me Before You – Because sometimes we just want to cry.
- Madagascar – Another classic animation that refuses to die.
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Rounding out the list because families never stop watching this.
The Secret Sauce of a Netflix #1
Why do some movies like The Rip explode while others—even with big stars—just sort of sink into the "Recommended for You" abyss?
It usually comes down to the "Day 1 Velocity." Netflix measures success by how many people hit play within the first 24 to 48 hours. When you have Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on the thumbnail, that's almost a guaranteed click. But to stay at #1, you need word-of-mouth.
The Rip works because it’s actually well-made. Joe Carnahan’s direction is frantic and stylish, and the supporting cast, including Teyana Taylor and Kyle Chandler, brings a level of legitimacy that many "Netflix Originals" lack. It’s not just a movie you put on while you’re folding laundry. You actually have to pay attention to the dialogue, or you’ll miss the subtle ways the plot starts to twist around the thirty-minute mark.
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The "Stranger Things" Effect
Interestingly, the third most popular title right now isn't even a fictional movie. It’s a behind-the-scenes documentary: One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5.
This tells us a lot about the state of streaming in 2026. Audiences are so invested in the "Netflix ecosystem" that they’ll watch a documentary about a show that hasn't even finished airing yet just to feel closer to the characters. It’s a weird kind of meta-consumption that keeps the platform's engagement numbers through the roof.
What Most People Get Wrong About Netflix Rankings
There's a common misconception that the "Trending" list is the same as the "Most Popular" list. It’s not.
Netflix’s Top 10 is based on "Views," which they define as the total time watched divided by the runtime. This actually gives shorter movies a slight advantage, but it also means a two-hour gritty thriller like The Rip has to work twice as hard to stay on top compared to a 90-minute animated film.
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Another thing? The rankings change every day. While The Rip is the heavy hitter right now, we have Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 dropping on January 29. When that happens, the movie charts usually take a hit as everyone pivots to the ton of new TV content.
Actionable Viewing Guide
If you're planning on watching The Rip tonight, here’s how to get the most out of it:
- Check the Sound: This movie uses a lot of low-frequency audio and overlapping dialogue. If you have a soundbar, turn on "Dialogue Enhancement" or you might miss some of the gritty banter between Affleck and Damon.
- Look for the Cameos: Joe Carnahan is known for sneaking in his director friends. Keep an eye out for a few familiar faces in the background of the police station scenes.
- Watch the Prequels (Sort of): While not technically related, watching Copshop or The Grey beforehand will give you a good feel for Carnahan’s style. It’s all about masculine energy and desperate situations.
- Timing is Everything: If you hate spoilers, watch it before Tuesday. That’s when the "official" weekly Netflix data drops and the internet starts dissecting every single plot hole.
The Rip has set a high bar for 2026. Whether it can hold off the upcoming slate of February releases remains to be seen, but for now, it is the definitive answer to what everyone is watching.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the upcoming release of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Early buzz suggests it might be the only thing capable of knocking Affleck and Damon off their perch. For now, grab the popcorn and settle in for some Miami-style chaos.