If you want to know what someone’s thinking, don’t ask them. Look at their Google search history.
At the end of every year, Google releases its list of the most-searched movies and TV shows. As you might imagine, search volume correlates strongly with the eventual viewership of each title. And the big takeaway from 2021 is that Netflix has a strong grip on streaming TV shows, but HBO Max and Disney+ are the kings of the movie world.
Among both lists, it’s notable that Disney+ continues to cash in on the MCU. Five Marvel titles make the combined list of 20. While streamers could watch “Black Widow” with Premier Access, Disney pivoted to a theatrical-only strategy for “Shang-Chi” and “Eternals.”
Despite Netflix’s best efforts and deep pockets, it couldn’t crack the Top 10 movie list at all. That may prove to be an ongoing problem as the company is trying to establish itself against legacy studios with vast libraries of existing IP to draw from. That deficit may actually work in its favor with TV shows, as originals like “Squid Game” and “Bridgerton” have proved to be huge successes. Today’s audiences may be more willing to try one episode of an original TV show than to dedicate a full 2-3 hours to a wholly original film.
Although WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar was roasted in Hollywood for the bold decision to release films on HBO Max and in theaters at the same time, that choice may have been the wisest of the year. While some viewers would want to see Godzilla punch King Kong on the big screen, others could enjoy it at home. Movies like “Dune” are events for fans of a franchise, but the ability to view them same-day at home opens up the potential pool to more casual audiences.
Take a look at each list.
Most-Searched Movies in 2021
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Black Widow
July 7, 2021Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
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Eternals
November 3, 2021The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants. The film will be released on Disney+ January 12, 2022.
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Halloween Kills
October 14, 2021Michael manages to free himself from Laurie Strode’s trap to resume his ritual bloodbath. As she fights for her life from injuries from their last encounter, she inspires her daughter Karen, her granddaughter Allyson, and all of Haddonfield to rise up against the unstoppable monster.
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Mortal Kombat
April 7, 2021Washed-up MMA fighter Cole Young, unaware of his heritage, and hunted by Emperor Shang Tsung’s best warrior, Sub-Zero, seeks out and trains with Earth’s greatest champions as he prepares to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.
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Dune
September 15, 2021Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
September 1, 2021Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.
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Godzilla vs. Kong
March 24, 2021In a time when monsters walk the Earth, humanity’s fight for its future sets Godzilla and Kong on a collision course that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in a spectacular battle for the ages.
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The Suicide Squad
July 28, 2021Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
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Space Jam: A New Legacy
July 8, 2021When LeBron and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized champions on the court. It’s Tunes versus Goons in the highest-stakes challenge of his life.
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In the Heights
June 10, 2021The story of Usnavi, a bodega owner who has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic or staying in Washington Heights.
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Most-Searched TV Shows in 2021
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Squid Game
September 17, 2021Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
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Bridgerton
December 25, 2020Wealth, lust, and betrayal set in the backdrop of Regency era England, seen through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family.
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WandaVision
January 15, 2021Wanda Maximoff and Vision—two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.
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Ginny & Georgia
February 24, 2021Angsty and awkward fifteen year old Ginny Miller often feels more mature than her thirty year old mother, the irresistible and dynamic Georgia Miller. After years on the run, Georgia desperately wants to put down roots in picturesque New England and give her family something they’ve never had… a normal life. But it’s not all carpool and Kombucha as Georgia’s past threatens her and her family’s new way of life… and Georgia will do anything to protect her family.
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Cobra Kai
May 2, 2018This Karate Kid sequel series picks up 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament and finds Johnny Lawrence on the hunt for redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. This reignites his old rivalry with the successful Daniel LaRusso, who has been working to maintain the balance in his life without mentor Mr. Miyagi.
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Firefly Lane
February 3, 2021For decades, childhood best friends Kate and Tully have weathered life’s storms together — until a betrayal threatens to break them apart for good.
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Manifest
September 24, 2018After landing from a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers of Montego Air Flight 828 discover five years have passed in what seemed like a few hours. As their new realities become clear, a deeper mystery unfolds and some of the returned passengers soon realize they may be meant for something greater than they ever thought possible.
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Mare of Easttown
April 18, 2021A detective in a small Pennsylvania town (Kate Winslet) investigates a local murder while trying to keep her life from falling apart. The stellar cast features Jean Smart, David Denman, and Guy Pearce.
- DIRECTV STREAM Entertainment + HBO
- $94.99 / month
- Hulu Live TV
- $91.99 / month
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Loki
June 9, 2021After stealing the Tesseract during the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” an alternate version of Loki is brought to the mysterious Time Variance Authority, a bureaucratic organization that exists outside of time and space and monitors the timeline. They give Loki a choice: face being erased from existence due to being a “time variant” or help fix the timeline and stop a greater threat.
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Midnight Mass
September 24, 2021An unsettling omen washes ashore in the wake of the storm. Later, when the locals gather for a potluck, tragedy strikes – and a miracle occurs.