Netflix's lineup of original comedy movies have often failed to make an impact among viewers, but Murder Mystery, the 2019 film starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, bucked the trend – and its sequel, Murder Mystery 2, which only debuted on Netflix on March 31, has done likewise.
In fact, Murder Mystery 2 has proven so popular on the world's best streaming service that it almost set a new record for a Netflix comedy movie.
Per a Netflix press release, Murder Mystery 2's debut was the second-biggest opening weekend for a comedy film on the platform. The film, which was recently added to our new Netflix movies list, was watched by 42 million households in the first three days post-release. According to Netflix, Murder Mystery 2 accumulated 64.4 million hours streamed over its debut weekend, too – a figure that catapulted it into the Top 10 of the streamer's movies section in 91 countries. It was also the most-watched English-language Netflix movie on the service for the week running March 27 to April 2.
Murder Mystery 2's release gave its predecessor a new lease of life, too. Murder Mystery was the second most-watched Netflix film during the same six-day period, with Netflix users racking up 24.7 million hours viewed. Not bad for a four-year-old movie, eh?
Netflix hasn't revealed which movie stood between Murder Mystery 2 and the title of most-streamed Netflix original comedy film of all-time. It seems likely that You People, the Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy-starring comedy that arrived on January 27 this year, is the culprit, though – that flick accrued 55.6 million hours viewed in its first week on the platform. We've reached out to Netflix for clarification on this, and we'll report back if we receive a response.
A winning formula for Netflix
So, why has Murder Mystery 2 proven so popular among Netflix's user base?
For one, it's got two fan-favorite, powerhouse performers in its lead roles. Aniston and Sandler are well liked among film fans, and the duo's star power is sufficient enough to draw viewers in, even if a film or TV show they star in isn't up to much.
Then there's the fact that Murder Mystery 2 is an easy watch. The film doesn't reinvent the whodunnit or comedy genres, but its combination of wacky and silly humor, plus a mystery that's more intriguing and elaborate than the one at the heart of its predecessor, fit together nicely. It's not overly cerebral, either, so viewers looking for an uncomplicated film to relax with over the weekend couldn't really go wrong.
There's also the movie's 90-minute runtime – that's breezy compared to most flicks released these days, and means you don't need to focus on its albeit simplistic plot for too long. Murder Mystery 2's position as a sequel to one of Netflix's most popular original films is sure to have helped as well. Don't be surprised if you see one or both of these flicks make it onto our best Netflix movies list soon.
Murder Mystery 2 isn't the only huge hit Netflix has had on its hands recently. Espionage action-thriller The Night Agent has installed itself as Netflix's new TV show darling since its March 23 release, with the series racking up 168.7 million hours streamed in its first week, and a further 216.4 million hours over the last six days. Unsurprisingly, The Night Agent season 2 has been greenlit as a result. If you're looking for similar genre fare to stream, watch one of these seven spy shows after you've recently been thrilled by The Night Agent, too.
For more Netflix coverage, read our best Netflix shows and best Netflix documentaries guides.
