Alvin & The Chipmunks Franchise Continues to Reign Netflix's Top 10 Chart

Article Overview

The franchise experienced an unexpected resurgence with Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked both securing spots in the Global Top 10 on Netflix.

In addition to the Chipmunks sequels, three other animated films emerged as popular choices on Netflix, indicating a clear prevalence of animated content.

Netflix's algorithm may be responsible for connecting these animated franchises, as viewers who watched one film were subsequently offered recommendations from the same genre, resulting in a widespread trend across various countries.

Two Alvin and the Chipmunks sequels have made their way into the Netflix charts. The franchise, which is based on the animated band of chipmunks from the 1960s TV series The Alvin Show, began with the 2007 film Alvin and the Chipmunks. This was followed by three more sequels: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. Although rumors of an Alvin and the Chipmunks 5 have surfaced, no confirmation has been made regarding its development.

In a surprising turn of events, both Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked have made it onto the Global Top 10 chart on Netflix for the week of October 23 to October 29. Chipwrecked has secured its place on the chart for the second consecutive week, ranking at No. 5 with 3.9 million views. Meanwhile, The Squeakquel entered the chart at No. 10 with 2.6 million views last week.

Animated Films Dominated The Netflix Charts Last Week

Alvin and the Chipmunks often divide viewers, with many finding the small singers irritating. However, both The Squeakquel and Chipwrecked proved to be successful at the box office. The former earned $443 million worldwide, while the latter brought in $342 million. Remarkably, both sequels were made with a budget of around $75 million, resulting in impressive profits.

In addition to The Squeakquel and Chipwrecked, this week's Netflix charts featured three other animated films. Monster High: The Movie ranked No. 6 with 3.8 million views, Minions at No. 8 with 3 million views, and Hotel Transylvania 2 at No. 9 with 2.8 million views. All five movies are animated and either sequels, spinoffs of TV shows (Monster High: The Movie), or part of existing franchises (Minions).

It is unusual to see multiple animated sequels and spinoffs making it to the Netflix Global Top 10. Alvin and the Chipmunks, however, was not the only one. Last week, several countries that were watching the Alvin and the Chipmunks sequels were also watching Monster High: The Movie. These countries include Finland, South Africa, and Sweden. This trend might suggest that Netflix's algorithm is connecting these animated franchises in some manner. It is possible that viewers who watched one animated movie were then recommended another one from the list.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the Alvin & The Chipmunks franchise continuing to reign on Netflix's Top 10 Chart. On the one hand, I understand the appeal of these films. They are lighthearted, funny, and perfect for a lazy day. On the other hand, I find it a bit concerning that these sequels are dominating the charts, especially since they have received mixed reviews from critics.

I think it's great that animated films are getting so much attention on Netflix. However, I would like to see more diversity in the types of animated films that are available. There are so many amazing animated films out there that deserve to be seen, and I hope that Netflix will start to give them more attention.