Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction film series has made Netflix movie history – but it’s a record that might not stand the test of time.
Revealed in the latest update of its Top 10 charts, Netflix confirmed that the action movie franchise is the first of its kind to have two entries appear in its most popular English-language movies list.
The first Extraction movie, which arrived in April 2020, has held ninth spot on that particular chart since, well, Netflix began releasing its in-house viewing figures data to the public. Extraction has been viewed 135.7 million times since it launched more than three years ago.
Now, Extraction 2, which debuted on the world’s best streaming service on June 16, has helped to cement the Hemsworth-fronted film series’ place in the Netflix record books. Extraction 2 squeezed its way into 10th place on the streamer’s most-watched English language films list – at the time of writing, it’s been viewed 129.3 million times – on August 23. That means the Extraction movie franchise is the first-ever movie series to feature two flicks simultaneously on the same Netflix chart.
Extraction 2 has broken onto the Most Popular English Films list at #10 with 129.3 million views since launch. The first film sits at #9 on the list, making Extraction the first film franchise to simultaneously chart two films on the Most Popular list! pic.twitter.com/TGHdiCGoVbAugust 22, 2023
Realistically, we shouldn’t have expected anything less from Extraction 1 and 2. With an extremely popular actor in Hemsworth fronting the films, as well as their suspense-filled, high-octane action, including incredibly ambitious one-shot sequences, the Extraction series are some of the better new Netflix movies we’ve seen from the streaming giant’s in-house film department.
As our Extraction 2 review suggests, neither the franchise’s latest entry nor its predecessor are perfect, but as enjoyable, easy-to-watch thrill rides, they’re certainly worth sitting through. In fact, we’d go as far as to say they’re some of the best Netflix movies (first- and third-party) around right now. That’s if you’re not in the market for a film of a more cerebral nature, anyway.
Making a mark while it can
The Extraction movie series’ record-breaking achievement is no mean feat. If it was a relatively easy task then other Netflix film franchises – there aren’t many, admittedly – would have have beaten it to the punch.
Its never-before-seen success, though, might not last. With Extraction 1 and 2 sitting at ninth and 10th spot on Netflix’s most-streamed English language films list, their positions are precarious at best. Essentially, it’ll only take one new Netflix flick to knock Extraction 2 off the chart – and there are plenty of other Netflix-developed film franchises preparing to do so. Of that contingent, the Extraction series has three big-name players to worry about: Red Notice, The Gray Man, and Knives Out.
Right now, Red Notice is far and away the most-watched English language Netflix Original film of all-time. Its 230.9 million viewership haul is light years ahead of nearest rival Don’t Look Up (171.4 million). And, with two Red Notice sequels on the way, you can safely bet on Red Notice 2 usurping Extraction 2 once it sees the light of day.
Even if Red Notice 2 isn’t massively successful, The Gray Man‘s sequel and/or its spin-off film might threaten Extraction 2‘s place on the list. That’s before we even mention Knives Out 3, which may prove even more popular than 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (basically, Knives Out 2) when the next Daniel Craig-led murder mystery comedy flick arrives.
So yes, Extraction 1 and 2 may have made history for Netflix, but I’d be surprised if they can hold off the advances of some of the streamer’s other heavy hitting film franchises. For now, however, the series can bask in the glow of setting a new Netflix record.