<p id=”par-1_7″>Netflix’s top 10 is looking very nostalgic. </p>
<p id=”par-2_44″>Two fan-favorite movies recently added to the streamer’s movie library have stormed their way into the top 10. The <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/independence-day-will-smith-talked-difficult-shoot-film.html/”>1996 blockbuster <em>Independence Day</em></a><em> </em>currently sits at No. 5 in the most-watched list, followed by 2006’s <em>Night at the Museum </em>in the No. 6 spot. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-netflix-viewers-love-older-movies”>Netflix viewers love older movies</h2>
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<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<p id=”par-3_56″>Both movies, which were added to Netflix on February 1, appeal to subscribers’ desire for familiar comfort viewing. While the streaming service is constantly adding new original movies, such as <em>People We Meet on Vacation, The Rip, </em>and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/dressing-like-kpop-demon-hunters-halloween-says-2025-pop-culture.html/”><em>Kpop Demon Hunters</em></a><em>, </em>some of its top performers are beloved classics that people enjoy watching time and again. </p>
<p id=”par-4_52″>In the second half of 2025, some of the most popular movies on Netflix were older titles, particularly those aimed at kids. <em>Hotel Transylvania 3, Despicable Me 3 </em>and <em>Despicable Me 4, Sing, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, </em>and <em>Shrek </em>and <em>Shrek 2 </em>were all among the top 50 most-watched titles. </p>
<p id=”par-5_42″>Last year, Netflix subscribers also revisited <em>Happy Gilmore </em>(41.9 million views from July to December), <em>The Hangover </em>(25.4 million views), <em>White Chicks </em>(23.5 million views), <em>The Mask </em>(16.9 million views), <em>Man on Fire </em>(15.7 million views), and <em>The Equalizer </em>(14.2 million views).</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-why-younger-viewers-love-familiar-classics”>Why younger viewers love familiar classics</h2>
<p id=”par-6_43″><em>Night at the Museum </em>and <em>Independence Day </em>each appeal to viewers searching for familiar, family-friendly flicks. But it’s not just older generations who are clicking play on these titles. Younger audiences are drawn to older shows and movies on streaming platforms, experts say. </p>
<p id=”par-7_57″>“The younger audience is drawn to the perceived simplicity of the old times and humor,” Kavita Vazirani, executive vice president of research, insights and analytics, ABC News Group & Disney Entertainment Networks, told the <a href=”https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-12-23/why-gen-z-gen-alpha-are-feasting-on-tv-comfort-food”>Los Angeles Times</a>. “It’s programming that just makes them feel good, and it’s something that they can watch with their friends, their families.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_78″>When it comes to TV, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are binging old favorites like <em>Dawson’s Creek </em>and <em>The Golden Girls,</em> with 60% of all their TV consumption coming from library content over new releases, the LA Times reports. While Netflix’s most-watched shows tend to be originals like <em>Wednesday</em> and <em>Stranger Things</em>, older series such as <em>Young Sheldon, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, </em>and <em>Suits </em>rack up of millions of views, proving that sometimes, nothing beats familiarity.</p>
<p id=”par-9_11″><em>For more news and exclusive interviews, follow </em><a href=”https://www.instagram.com/showbizcheatsheet/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram</em></a><em>.</em></p>