Google's 2025 entertainment search data is in, and the story is pretty clear: streaming won the year. More specifically, Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and Apple Inc. (AAPL) had surprisingly strong showings across both movies and TV series.
When people wanted to know about entertainment in 2025, they turned to Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) (GOOG) to search for it. And what they searched for tells us something interesting about where audiences are spending their attention.
Movies: Netflix Takes the Crown
The animated sensation "KPop Demon Hunters" claimed the top spot for most-searched movie in the United States for 2025. The Netflix film shattered company records and became a cultural phenomenon that apparently had everyone Googling it.
Here's how the top 10 trending movie searches shook out:
- KPop Demon Hunters – Netflix
- Sinners – Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
- The Minecraft Movie – Warner Bros. Discovery
- Happy Gilmore 2 – Netflix
- Thunderbolts – Walt Disney Company (DIS)
- F1 – Apple
- Jurassic World Rebirth – Comcast Corporation (CMCSA)
- Final Destination Bloodlines – Warner Bros. Discovery
- Weapons – Warner Bros. Discovery
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps – Walt Disney Company
Netflix landed two films in the top 10, both of which the company highlighted in earnings reports throughout the year. That number one ranking reinforces what we've been seeing for a while now: streaming platforms continue gaining ground not just in viewership, but in cultural relevance. These companies are winning at awards shows, dominating search trends, and occasionally even making noise at the traditional box office.
Speaking of box office success, Apple's "F1" became the tech giant's highest-grossing theatrical release ever, setting multiple company records. The film arrives on Apple TV later this month, perfectly timed since Formula 1 races are joining the Apple streaming platform in 2026 for U.S. viewers. It's a nice ecosystem play.
Warner Bros. Discovery didn't claim the top spot, but it placed four titles on the list, more than any other company. That's a different kind of strength—breadth over singular dominance.
TV Shows: Streaming Dominates Even Harder
The TV show rankings tell a similar story, with streaming platforms owning nearly every spot:
- The Hunting Wives – Netflix
- The White Lotus – HBO Max, from Warner Bros. Discovery
- The Pitt – HBO Max
- The Summer I Turned Pretty – Prime Video from Amazon.com Inc (AMZN)
- Squid Game – Netflix
- Severance – Apple TV
- MobLand – Paramount+, from Paramount Skydance (PSKY)
- Adolescence – Netflix
- Andor – Disney+, from Walt Disney Company
- IT: Welcome to Derry – HBO Max
Netflix swept both categories in 2025, claiming the top movie and the top TV show. "The Hunting Wives" led the TV rankings, while "Squid Game" and "Adolescence" grabbed the fifth and eighth positions. Three titles in the top 10 is a strong showing by any measure.
HBO Max also placed three titles on the list, giving Warner Bros. Discovery a solid presence across both movies and TV series for the year.
Apple's Quiet Streaming Success
Here's what's interesting: Apple isn't traditionally known for its original series, yet "Severance" captured sixth place in TV show searches for 2025. The series set new viewership records for the company and likely drew in fresh subscribers.
Apple TV remains a relatively small piece of Apple's massive ecosystem, but appearing on both the movie and TV series top 10 lists suggests the platform is gaining traction with consumers. The company has been making strategic moves—raising subscription prices, adding more sports content—that could boost revenue and move the platform closer to profitability.
When your content ranks high in Google searches and wins awards, it signals you're building something that resonates. For Apple, that could mean a legitimately competitive streaming platform going forward, not just a nice-to-have addition to the Apple bundle.
The bigger picture? Streaming isn't just competing with traditional entertainment anymore. In many ways, it's already won.