In this material, we will look at the 35 best thrillers on Netflix. For more thriller movies, go to 10 Best Thrillers on Netflix.
The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to a wide variety of industries. Sectors such as tourism, hospitality and cruise travel were ripped from economic activity as lockdowns and stay-at-home orders prevented people from engaging in normal leisure activities. Another sector that was devastated was the film industry. Theaters and cinemas around the world were closed due to fears of the spread of the virus. According to a report by The Motion Pictures Association (MPA), the global theatrical and home entertainment market grew comfortably from 2016 to 2019. The sector was worth $77.8 billion in 2016, growing to $83.7 billion in the following year year and then continued to grow further to $92 billion in 2018 and $98.3 billion in 2019. In its last year of growth, the three market sectors namely physical, digital and theatrical reached 8, respectively. $8 billion, $47.2 billion, and $42.3 billion. However, as early as next year, the worst of the coronavirus will dawn on the sector as it continues to decline by 18% to $80.8 billion. However, this figure marks an internal upheaval in the industry, as while the theatrical segment was all but slaughtered to $12 billion, the digital segment flourished to $61.8 billion.
Coming closer to the Americas, the country continues to be the largest geographic sector in the market as its share stands at $32.2 billion. Within this segment, a whopping 82% is accounted for by the digital segment, with physical and theatrical accounting for just 11% and 7% respectively. In 2020, two of the top three films were family-friendly, with Frozen II and Jumanji: The Next Level taking the top two spots. Courtesy of the virus, the online media industry has maintained its boom since 2016 and continued to grow from 88.6 billion views in 2016 to a whopping 265.9 billion by the end of 2020. Surprisingly (or maybe not), online TV shows accounted for 92% of total viewing. Compare that to the 78.9 billion views that online TV broadcasts brought in in 2016, and the difference the pandemic has made becomes clear.
StrategyR researchers show that the global box office industry is valued at $28.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.9% until the end of 2030, when it is expected to cost $92.6 billion. Within this market, StrategyR believes that the action-adventure sub-segment will outpace the broader market in terms of growth, as its growth rate is expected to reach 18% to make this section worth $49 billion in 2030 d. Geographically speaking, China is the fastest growing region, with a growth rate of 20.8%.
Another report, this time from Gower Street, estimates that the global cash market could grow to $29 billion by the end of this year if it maintains a growth rate of 12%, which would still be slower than the growth rate of 21% achieved last year. Meanwhile, Gower Street points out that even if the global box market grows to $29 billion, it will still be significantly less than the $42.3 billion it was worth in 2019. The research firm also says the U.S. will continue to be the largest market in 2023 with an estimated value of $7.65 billion.
The online content delivery market has risen to the dominant players in the industry, especially after being fueled by the coronavirus. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global video-on-demand market was worth $69.55 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow to $82.77 billion in 2022. From then to 2029, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17 .6% and reach $257 billion by the end of the forecast period. This growth has also made the market quite competitive, with Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) shared a glimpse of the competition in its Q4 2022 investor letter:
We continue to operate in a highly competitive market as consumers have a vast number of entertainment choices. In addition to our direct streaming competitors, we also compete for consumers’ time against linear TV, YouTube, short-form entertainment like TikTok, and gaming, to name a few. On the plus side, the entertainment market is huge, and Netflix is still very small compared to it. For example, across the 190+ countries in which we operate, our $30B+ annual revenue compares to the combined ~$300B annual pay TV/streaming industry, $180B in branded TV advertising spend, and $130B in consumer gaming spend. 5
It is not easy to build a large and profitable streaming business. But we compete from a position of strength as we are industry leaders in terms of engagement, revenue and profit from streaming. As a pure-play streaming company, we’re also not anchored to shrinking legacy business models like traditional entertainment firms, allowing us to lean firmly on the large growth opportunity ahead of us.
With these details in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best thrillers on Netflix.
alin-surdu-j5GCqQM3eYA-unsplash (1)
Our methodology:
We compiled our list by first narrowing down the fifty best thriller movies according to critics, as ranked by Rotten Tomatoes. Then, to rank them by user preference as well, we looked at their IMDB scores and listed the 35 best thrillers available on Netflix below.
The best thrillers on Netflix
35. Sentinel
Latest IMDB score: 4.8
Sentinel sees a French soldier adjust to civilian life by tracking down his sister’s killer.
34. The old ways
Latest IMDB score: 5.4
The Old Ways is a fascinating story about a journalist trapped in a jungle by a witch doctor.
33. Borderland
Latest IMDB score: 5.6
Borderland is a Mexican-American film that revolves around college friends whose trip to Mexico takes a frightening turn.
32. Bad match
Latest IMDB score: 5.6
Bad Match sees an online playboy bite off a bit more than he can chew in his quest to date women.
31. Alien invaders
Latest IMDB score: 5.6
Alien Raiders is an American film that sees a group of vigilantes take over a supermarket to fight an alien invasion.
30. Keep the darkness
Latest IMDB score: 5.6
Hold the Dark sees a wolf expert discover dark secrets after investigating the deaths of his children.
29. Not a friend
Latest IMDB score: 5.6
Unfriended is an internet thriller that sees a dead man come to life – at least on the surface.
28. The most beautiful island
Latest IMDB score: 5.7
The Most Beautiful Island is a story about a woman struggling with her past as an undocumented immigrant in the United States
27. Blood on her name
Latest IMDB score: 5.7
Blood On Her Name sees a random killer trying to cover up his actions only to find her conscience confronting her.
26. The domestic ones
Latest IMDB score: 5.7
The Domestics is a thriller about a couple who take on gangs in a post-apocalyptic era.
25. Honey
Latest IMDB score: 5.8
Darling sees a woman battling supernatural elements while stranded on an island.
24. Manson Family Vacation
Latest IMDB score: 5.8
Manson Family Vacation is a comedy thriller that follows two brothers who decide to visit the sites of Charles Manson’s murder.
23. The culprit
Latest IMDB score: 5.8
The Guilty is about a detective who discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye as a 911 dispatcher.
22. We continue
Latest IMDB score: 5.8
We Go On follows a man who embarks on a terrifying adventure trying to discover if there really is life after death.
21. Last shift
Latest IMDB score: 5.8
A final shift sees an unsuspecting police officer discover his precinct is haunted by a cult leader who committed suicide.
20. Piercing
Latest IMDB score: 5.9
The Piercing is an encounter between a serial killer and his victim, which turns out to be a little more than she can handle.
19. Agility
Latest IMDB score: 5.9
Sleight is the story of a magician who turns to a life of crime when faced with financial difficulties.
18. The disappearance
Latest IMDB score: 5.9
Disappearance stars Gerald Butler as a light keeper who discovers gold on an island.
17. The heart machine
Latest IMDB score: 5.9
The Heart Machine is a romantic deception story that follows a man who seeks out his online girlfriend because he believes she is cheating on him.
16. The scale of aggressiveness
Latest IMDB score: 5.9
Scale of Aggression is a rather unusual, but not unheard of story about a kid who confronts a gang that has come to rob his house.
15. Harpoon
Latest IMDB score: 6
Harpoon focuses on the conflict between friends who find themselves stranded in the middle of the ocean.
14. I came
Latest IMDB score: 6.1
I Came By sees a graffiti artist biting off a bit more than he can chew by targeting rich people.
13. Fictional Land
Latest IMDB score: 6.2
A Land Imagined follows the journey of a police officer investigating the death of a construction worker.
12. Perfection
Latest IMDB score: 6.2
The Perfection is about two musicians whose fates intertwine.
11. Lost Bullet 2: Back for More
Latest IMDB score: 6.3
Lost Bullet 2: Back for More is a French film about the struggle of the police against a drug cartel.
Click to continue reading and see the 10 best thrillers on Netflix.
Suggested Articles:
Disclosure: None. 35 Best Thrillers on Netflix was originally published on Insider Monkey.