Netflix has released its latest What We Watched engagement report, offering a comprehensive look at what captivated audiences worldwide between January and June 2026. The latest figures reveal that members streamed more than 97 billion hours of content during the six-month period — the platform’s highest half-year viewing total to date.

The report highlights Netflix’s continued focus on engagement, measuring success not only through the number of hours watched but also by its ability to offer a diverse catalogue that keeps audiences discovering new stories across different genres, languages and moods. Beginning in 2027, Netflix will transition from publishing these reports every six months to an annual viewing snapshot.

New Originals Continue to Dominate

Fresh releases proved to be a major driver of viewing throughout the first half of the year. Five of the ten most-watched series debuted during the reporting period, with His & Hers emerging as the platform’s biggest television hit, attracting an impressive 104 million views.

Other standout newcomers included I Will Find You (64 million views), South Korean drama Teach You a Lesson (48 million), Run Away (50 million) and Nemesis Season 1 (33 million), which has already secured a second-season renewal following its strong performance.

Returning Favourites Spark Franchise Growth

Returning series once again demonstrated Netflix’s ability to reignite interest in established franchises. The release of Bridgerton Season 4 generated 100 million views while simultaneously boosting audiences for every previous season, including Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Altogether, the Bridgerton universe amassed 180 million views during the first half of 2026.

Other fan-favourite franchises that experienced renewed viewing included ONE PIECE, The Night Agent, Virgin River and The Lincoln Lawyer, as audiences revisited earlier seasons before diving into new episodes.

Action Films Lead a Strong Movie Line-up

Netflix’s original film slate continued to attract massive audiences, particularly within the action genre.

War Machine emerged as the platform’s biggest film of the period with 147 million views, followed closely by The Rip (136 million), Swapped (131 million), Apex (129 million) and Thrash (100 million).

Animation also maintained its momentum, with Swapped positioning itself to become Netflix’s second most-watched original animated film ever, while KPop Demon Hunters continued its remarkable run more than a year after release, accumulating 130 million views during the reporting period alone.

Book adaptations also resonated strongly with audiences. People We Meet on Vacation attracted 78 million views, while Remarkably Bright Creatures reached 51 million. Romantic comedies such as Office Romance and Voicemails for Isabelle also found significant success.

International Stories Continue to Thrive

Non-English programming accounted for more than one-third of all viewing on Netflix, underscoring the platform’s growing global appeal.

South Korea remained one of Netflix’s strongest creative markets, delivering successful titles including Teach You a Lesson, Can This Love Be Translated?, The Art of Sarah, My Royal Nemesis and Bloodhounds Season 2.

Spain continued its impressive run with hits such as Firebreak, The Marked Woman, Oasis and Berlín and the Lady with an Ermine, while Japan attracted viewers through original productions including Straight to Hell and Sins of Kujo.

India recorded its strongest viewing period yet, led by Dhurandhar, which became Netflix’s most-watched non-English film in the report, alongside Accused, Made in Korea and Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web.

South Africa also made a notable impact globally. The local film 180 attracted 37 million views, while The Polygamist Season 1 reached 17 million views, highlighting the growing international demand for South African storytelling.

The report also celebrated successful productions from Poland, Brazil, Mexico, Norway, Thailand, Italy and Denmark, reinforcing Netflix’s commitment to local stories with worldwide appeal.

Diverse Content Keeps Audiences Engaged

Beyond scripted films and series, Netflix’s broad content offering continued to attract viewers across multiple categories.

Live programming brought audiences together through The Roast of Kevin Hart, Skyscraper Live featuring Alex Honnold and BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, all of which generated strong global engagement.

Anime maintained its upward trajectory, with more than half of Netflix members having watched at least one anime title. New releases such as BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai, STEEL BALL RUN: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Cosmic Princess Kaguya! emerged as breakout successes.

Documentaries also continued to perform well, led by true-crime hit The Crash, alongside Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model and the prehistoric documentary series The Dinosaurs.

Family entertainment remained a consistent performer, with Ms. Rachel becoming Netflix’s most-watched children’s title during the period, while Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs, Salish & Jordan Matter and Danny Go! all attracted substantial audiences.

A Snapshot of Global Viewing Habits

Netflix’s latest engagement report paints a picture of a platform where new originals, returning franchises and international storytelling coexist to capture audiences around the world. With more than 97 billion hours viewed in just six months, the data reinforces the growing demand for diverse, locally produced stories that resonate across borders while continuing to fuel global entertainment conversations.

Netflix has released its latest What We Watched engagement report, offering a comprehensive look at what captivated audiences worldwide between January and June 2026. The latest figures reveal that members streamed more than 97 billion hours of content during the six-month period — the platform’s highest half-year viewing total to date.

The report highlights Netflix’s continued focus on engagement, measuring success not only through the number of hours watched but also by its ability to offer a diverse catalogue that keeps audiences discovering new stories across different genres, languages and moods. Beginning in 2027, Netflix will transition from publishing these reports every six months to an annual viewing snapshot.

New Originals Continue to Dominate

Fresh releases proved to be a major driver of viewing throughout the first half of the year. Five of the ten most-watched series debuted during the reporting period, with His & Hers emerging as the platform’s biggest television hit, attracting an impressive 104 million views.

Other standout newcomers included I Will Find You (64 million views), South Korean drama Teach You a Lesson (48 million), Run Away (50 million) and Nemesis Season 1 (33 million), which has already secured a second-season renewal following its strong performance.

Returning Favourites Spark Franchise Growth

Returning series once again demonstrated Netflix’s ability to reignite interest in established franchises. The release of Bridgerton Season 4 generated 100 million views while simultaneously boosting audiences for every previous season, including Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Altogether, the Bridgerton universe amassed 180 million views during the first half of 2026.

Other fan-favourite franchises that experienced renewed viewing included ONE PIECE, The Night Agent, Virgin River and The Lincoln Lawyer, as audiences revisited earlier seasons before diving into new episodes.

Action Films Lead a Strong Movie Line-up

Netflix’s original film slate continued to attract massive audiences, particularly within the action genre.

War Machine emerged as the platform’s biggest film of the period with 147 million views, followed closely by The Rip (136 million), Swapped (131 million), Apex (129 million) and Thrash (100 million).

Animation also maintained its momentum, with Swapped positioning itself to become Netflix’s second most-watched original animated film ever, while KPop Demon Hunters continued its remarkable run more than a year after release, accumulating 130 million views during the reporting period alone.

Book adaptations also resonated strongly with audiences. People We Meet on Vacation attracted 78 million views, while Remarkably Bright Creatures reached 51 million. Romantic comedies such as Office Romance and Voicemails for Isabelle also found significant success.

International Stories Continue to Thrive

Non-English programming accounted for more than one-third of all viewing on Netflix, underscoring the platform’s growing global appeal.

South Korea remained one of Netflix’s strongest creative markets, delivering successful titles including Teach You a Lesson, Can This Love Be Translated?, The Art of Sarah, My Royal Nemesis and Bloodhounds Season 2.

Spain continued its impressive run with hits such as Firebreak, The Marked Woman, Oasis and Berlín and the Lady with an Ermine, while Japan attracted viewers through original productions including Straight to Hell and Sins of Kujo.

India recorded its strongest viewing period yet, led by Dhurandhar, which became Netflix’s most-watched non-English film in the report, alongside Accused, Made in Korea and Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web.

South Africa also made a notable impact globally. The local film 180 attracted 37 million views, while The Polygamist Season 1 reached 17 million views, highlighting the growing international demand for South African storytelling.

The report also celebrated successful productions from Poland, Brazil, Mexico, Norway, Thailand, Italy and Denmark, reinforcing Netflix’s commitment to local stories with worldwide appeal.

Diverse Content Keeps Audiences Engaged

Beyond scripted films and series, Netflix’s broad content offering continued to attract viewers across multiple categories.

Live programming brought audiences together through The Roast of Kevin Hart, Skyscraper Live featuring Alex Honnold and BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, all of which generated strong global engagement.

Anime maintained its upward trajectory, with more than half of Netflix members having watched at least one anime title. New releases such as BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai, STEEL BALL RUN: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Cosmic Princess Kaguya! emerged as breakout successes.

Documentaries also continued to perform well, led by true-crime hit The Crash, alongside Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model and the prehistoric documentary series The Dinosaurs.

Family entertainment remained a consistent performer, with Ms. Rachel becoming Netflix’s most-watched children’s title during the period, while Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs, Salish & Jordan Matter and Danny Go! all attracted substantial audiences.

A Snapshot of Global Viewing Habits

Netflix’s latest engagement report paints a picture of a platform where new originals, returning franchises and international storytelling coexist to capture audiences around the world. With more than 97 billion hours viewed in just six months, the data reinforces the growing demand for diverse, locally produced stories that resonate across borders while continuing to fuel global entertainment conversations.