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January has a reputation for being a dumping ground at movie theaters, but that’s certainly not the case when it comes to streaming, as the apps begin to load up on the prior year’s critical and commercial hits—and 2026 came in like a champion, with the list of the top movies streaming including banger after banger, from One Battle After Another, to Sinners, to F1.
January’s streaming winners are heavy on social commentary. One Battle After Another plays it straight in its bracingly contemporary story of anti-fascist revolutionaries and immigration raids, while Sinners, Bugonia, and 28 Years Later use sci-fi and horror tropes to comment on our current political divides. If that all sounds too heavy, the list is rounded out by escapist fair like F1 and The Rip.
Also of note: The popularity of The Running Man and The Long Walk indicate that movie-goers are hungry for adaptations of dystopian Stephen King novels written under the pen-name Richard Bachman and foregrounding near-future authoritarian societies in which deadly ambulation-based contests are popular. I wonder what that’s about?
Here’s the full list of the top 10 most-streamed movies of January 2026 across all major streaming services, as compiled by JustWatch.
One Battle After Another (2025)
Topping the charts this month is Paul Thomas Anderson’s nuanced, intelligent thriller about resistance and race in a fascistic, anti-immigration United States. (No, it’s not a documentary.) Featuring fantastic performances from heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Regina Hall, One Battle After Another is that rare movie that’s equal parts thoughtful and exciting. It was recently nominated for 13 Oscars. Stream one Battle After Another on HBO Max.
Bugonia (2025)
It’s always nice when a weirdo movie is widely watched, and Bugonia was that movie in January 2026. Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis play a couple of societal dregs who kidnap a high-powered pharmaceutical executive (Emma Stone) because they think she’s an alien. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who helmed 2023’s excellent Poor Things, the Best Picture Oscar nominee is a must-watch, even if you’re only a little weird. (And if you want more weirdness, it’s based on an even odder South Korean film called Save the Green Planet.) Stream Bugonia on Peacock.
Sinners (2025)
This one-of-kind flick mashes up so many styles, it’s practically its own genre. A historical-horror-ensemble romance-drama-comedy-musical exploring race and historical prejudice in the United States, Sinners tells its story through both song and vampire violence. It is absolutely to-notch in every cinematic way, which is probably why it earned a record 16 Oscar nominations. Stream Sinners on HBO Max and Prime Video.
The Running Man (2025)
Based on a 1982 novel by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) and directed by Edgar Wright, The Running Man is a dystopian near-future sci-fi action flick in which the most popular show on TV is a deadly reality competition with contestants who must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins. I hate to admit that I would totally watch that show, and you should totally watch this movie. Stream The Running Man on MGM+ and Paramount+.
The Rip (2026)
If you’re in the mood for a throwback action-thriller, check out The Rip, from director Joe Carnahan. It tells the story of a Miami tactical narcotics team that discovers $20 million of dirty money in a stash house. Nobody in the squad is a “clean cop” when there’s that much money in play, and soon, everything goes predictably haywire in unpredictable ways. Starring movie pals Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, The Rip is a non-stop ride. Stream The Rip on Netflix.
What do you think so far?
Train Dreams (2025)
If you want maximum Americana drama, but not in a cheesy way, check out Train Dreams. Set in the early 1900s, it tells the story of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a logger and railroad builder whose quiet life is upended by a devastating tragedy. Train Dreams is a thoughtful, poetic movie about the passing of an era. It’s also a Best Picture nominee this year. Stream Train Dreams on Netflix.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)
The third Knives Out mystery stars Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc, the last of the gentleman’s sleuths, who is this time investigating the murder of a priest. A stylish, twisty, brain-testing whodunnit with an all-star cast that includes Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, and Jeremy Renner, Wake Up Dead Man is proof that a classic murder mystery can still keep the most seasoned armchair detectives guessing. Stream Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix.
The Long Walk (2025)
The second film in this month’s top 10 based on a novel by Stephen King but written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk shares only surface similarities with The Running Man in its story of a group of young men living in a dystopian future society who are forced to compete in a deadly contest that requires them to keep walking until only one of them is left standing (and alive). It’s an ensemble character study closer to They Shoot Horses, Don’t They than it is to over-the-top action sci-fi of The Running Man. (They’d make a great double-feature, though.) Stream The Long Walk on Starz or rent it from Prime Video.
28 Years Later (2025)
Zombies spoil if you leave ’em out to long, and these dead boys have been marinating for nearly 30 years. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s 28 Years Later ditches much of the fast-paced chaos of modern zombie flicks for an atmospheric, haunting exploration of the community of humans still alive in a long-dead England. It’s a somber movie about the post-apocalypse that makes you wonder if the zombies have it better off. Stream 28 Years Later on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video.
F1 (2025)
I’m happy that this list of bleak zombie narratives, carefully paced mysteries, and thinly veiled cultural critique ends with a movie about cars driving very, very fast. (Sometimes you just need a palate cleanser.) Starring Brad Pitt as race car driver striving for one last stab at glory, the Best Picture-nominated F1 was shot at actual F1 Grand Prix events and perfectly captures the danger, drama, and pure adrenaline of the sport. It’s a great film to show off your new TV and soundbar. Stream F1: The Movie on Apple TV+.
