With the curtain raiser of the New Year, Netflix wasted no time getting down to business with a library refresh so good that fans are still caught up in a festive fervor of nostalgia and thrill. After its record-breaking streak with holiday additions, the streaming mogul took a leap in the rat race of streaming counterparts with its sourced and original content. As a result, despite the controversy surrounding Hollywood and US-China tech tensions, the streaming giant remains a wholesome delight with its Top 10 Movies feature.

As the holiday magic fades, viewers are flocking to uplifting films, with animated movies dominating half the list, and here is a look inside.

Following a remarkable year of curated content, Netflix shifted gears in 2025, trading high-stakes drama for a deliberate pivot towards more family-friendly fare. According to the Global Top 10 Movies on the streamer, nearly 50% of the list consists of animated classics. Starting with Sonic the Hedgehog at #10 with 36,00,000 views, The Six Triple Eight and Eye for an Eye are ranked 9 and 8, with 40,00,000 and 44,00,000 views, respectively. 

Despicable Me and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl follow with 44,00,000 and 46,00,000 views on positions 7 and 6. On the fifth and fourth slots on the list are Despicable Me 2 and The Secret Life of Pets with 49,00,000 and 62,00,000 views, preceded by Ma’s 70,00,000 viewership. Lastly, Netflix’s record-breaking Carry-On is positioned second with 72,00,000 views, leaving The Secret Life of Pets 2 to rank undisputedly first with 1,50,00,000 views altogether.

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The rising popularity of animation on Netflix would normally be a triumph, but the clouds of the US-China tech tensions, which pose a potential threat to a beloved animated Netflix series overshadow it.

The United States’ latest scrutiny of Chinese tech behemoths, including TikTok and Tencent, has sent shockwaves through Hollywood. As the TikTok ban looms like a dark cloud, the US designation of Tencent as a military company now threatens to upend Netflix’s crown jewel, Arcane. Arcane follows League of Legends, one of the IPs under the Tencent group. Although Arcane closed its curtains with its second season serving as the finale, the recent developments could cause concern for the spin-offs.

Following the declaration, the company may see it fit to withdraw its content from the US with players no longer having access to League of Legends. Additionally, Netflix might have to pause further content developments from Tencent, including Arcane. Although the listing stops short of imposing immediate sanctions, the future of this iconic fan-favorite show still hangs in the air if negotiation remains out of the cards.

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