Netflix doesn't typically reveal metrics when it comes to its viewership for shows and original movies, but the streaming service is making an exception for its latest psychological horror film
Bird Box.
Netflix announced on social media that the Sandra Bullock-led
Bird Box had set a viewership record for the streaming service. With 45,037,125 accounts having already watched the movie in its first week of release, it's the "best first 7 days ever for a Netflix film."
While it is certainly an impressive number on the surface, Netflix's lack of transparency has left some skeptical. Many analysts have been quick to point out that we don't actually know how Netflix arrived at that number since we don't know how the company qualifies what counts as a viewing. We don't know if these accounts intentionally watched the movie or if Netflix is counting views that come from the auto-play option. We also don't know how long a user has to watch the movie before Netflix actually counts it towards that number; is it only a few seconds?
Reviews for
Bird Box have been generally positive and it boasts an impressive 74% audience score on
Rotten Tomatoes. While traditional television analysts continue to be frustrated by the company's unwillingness to divulge specifics, at the end of the day, the only number that really matters for Netflix and its investors is the service's subscriber count and how those subscribers can eventually lead to positive cash flow for the company.
When a mysterious force decimates the world’s population, only one thing is certain: if you see it, you take your life. Facing the unknown, Malorie finds love, hope and a new beginning only for it to unravel. Now she must flee with her two children down a treacherous river to the one place left that may offer sanctuary. But to survive, they'll have to undertake the perilous two-day journey blindfolded. Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock leads an all-star cast that includes Trevante Rhodes, with Sarah Paulson, and John Malkovich in #BirdBox, a compelling new thriller from Academy Award® winner Susanne Bier.
Bird Box is now streaming on Netflix. Are you one of the 45 million who have watched it?
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