Anaconda's Surprising Rise to Netflix's Top Streaming Spot Amid Mixed Reviews
By Published Apr 11, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT Zoë Miskelly is an editor and second in command for Screen Rant's Movies team, having covered the entertainment industry for almost 10 years now. Zoë's love of superheroes and all things Marvel & DC started out in childhood, and has blossomed into a career getting to talk about some of the biggest and best movies and shows of all time, having previously focused on comics while working at WhatCulture. follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
's newest number 1 film on its streaming charts is a 2026 movie that has seen some divided critical reception, making its rise on the platform all the more noteworthy. As one of the most popular streaming platforms of the modern era, any film that manages to net a top spot on Netflix's streaming charts - even the weekly or monthly charts - has earned a spot in the cultural consciousness as a result.
That said, with Netflix's movie and show offerings being so widespread, it's only natural that a similarly wide range of releases make their way to these spots on the platform's charts. It's also natural that some of these releases are more or less universally well-regarded than others, especially since the kind of films audiences seek out most on streaming services can be drastically different to the films they see in theaters.
Netflix's latest weekly number one provides an interesting example of this kind of scenario, since the film in question is one that has had something of a divisive reception as a result of the way its comedy lands with different viewers. Though this resulted in some lower review scores for the film, it hasn't appeared to hinder its streaming popularity, given its place on the charts in recent history.
Anaconda Hit Netflix's Number 1 Streaming Spot On Its Weekly Charts Despite Its Divided Reviews
Netflix's weekly most-watched movie charts has seen newer releases top its global leaderboard for the past few weeks, with , and War Machine holding this spot directly before the Peaky Blinders movie netted itself this title.
Netflix's most recent results, however, put a 2026 movie in this top spot instead, with Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man and War Machine slipping down to the middle spots of the platform's weekly top 10 most-watched films, and Anaconda instead holding the number one spot between March 30 to April 5, 2026, building on when it released on the platform.
This is especially interesting given Anaconda has a more divisive reputation overall, as is reflected by the film's review scores - with the 2026 action comedy having a 45% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 5.6 star out of 10 score on IMDb. This clearly reflects the mixed opinions about the movie, with more negative reviews citing a lack of connecting with the film's plot or self-referential comedy as consistent issues.
That said, this more tumultuous reception ultimately only makes Anaconda's streaming charts results all the more interesting, since it's clear these results don't appear to have stymied the film's trajectory on Netflix by any means.
Why Anaconda Has Done So Well On Netflix
Anaconda immediately has intrigue in the form of the star power it commands, with the movie centering around Jack Black and Paul Rudd, who are both decidedly well known actors, particularly when it comes to the world of comedy.
Combine this with the natural spectacle of a story revolving around two well-intentioned filmmakers attempting to remake the original Anaconda movie only to find themselves actually face to face with a giant snake, and it's easy to see why many were drawn in to the film.
It's worth noting that even the more divided reviews for Anaconda may have benefited the film and its streaming results in the long run. Movies with lower critic reviews oftentimes appear to gain higher streaming viewing numbers from audiences who are curious about what their own perspective on the film will be, but who aren't willing to pay to see a movie in cinemas when reviews suggest they may not enjoy it.
Inversely, while Rotten Tomatoes' critic score for the film was a divided one, the audience score for the movie were notably higher, with the release currently having a 75% audience score comparatively. This speaks to how broader audiences perceived the movie in terms of its entertainment value, which explains its Netflix results, and makes sense given Anaconda aims to provide laughs, gasps, and big snakes rather than anything necessarily deeper.
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