Netflix’s Apex Keeps the Crown, Outpacing Sydney Sweeney’s Euphoria for Second Straight Week

In the world of streaming, Netflix's big-budget action flick 'Apex' seems to be having a moment – actually, two moments. The movie, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton (talk about star power), has managed to stick at the absolute top of the streaming charts for its second straight week. And not just on Netflix – across every major streaming platform. Even Sydney Sweeney's HBO heavyweight 'Euphoria' couldn't nudge it from the #1 slot.

'Apex' Crushes the Competition

Since its April 24 debut, 'Apex' has racked up some pretty ridiculous numbers: 38.2 million views in its first week, and then another 40.2 million in its second week. That puts it at a cool 63.6 million hours watched (if you're into tracking these things). These stats come courtesy of Samba TV, who, let's face it, probably have more tabs open on TV trends than anyone you know.

For the week of April 27 to May 3, 'Apex' held tight to streaming's #1 spot, even as critics haven’t exactly thrown a parade for it. The film's Rotten Tomatoes score sits at 67% (so, not terrible, not amazing), and its audience Popcornmeter rating is a rather meh 49%. Still, none of that is stopping viewers from clicking play.

Who Else Made the List?

The rest of the streaming Top 5 is where things get interesting – and, if we're honest, slightly weird. 'Apex' was the only movie to break into the chart, pushing ahead of episodic juggernauts that usually rule this game.

• 1. Apex (Netflix): The Theron-Egerton action machine, still #1.
• 2. Euphoria (HBO): Sydney Sweeney's series continues to dominate, now in what’s probably its final season.
• 3. Should I Marry a Murderer? (Netflix): Another Netflix original, apparently a favorite for fans of questionable relationship decisions.
• 4. Man on Fire (Netflix): This new TV adaptation pulled in a big 11 million views and 61 million hours watched. And yet – only fourth place. Apparently, it takes more than a well-known IP to break the top 3.
• 5. The Boys Season 5 (Prime Video): The superhero hit slid down one spot from last week.

Beyond that, the bottom half of the Top 10 is an all-you-can-stream buffet of originals on Netflix, Apple TV, and HBO. Here are some notables: Apple's 'Your Friends & Neighbors' Season 2 (a steady performer), Netflix's 'Running Point' Season 2, and Apple TV's 'Rooster' starring Steve Carell, which probably gets more critical love than anything else here.

The 9th spot goes to Netflix's 'Unchosen,' which sounds a lot like a streaming-era version of 'The Handmaid's Tale', and to round things out, Apple TV's 'Imperfect Women' – a psychological thriller adaptation boasting Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara. Tough to argue with that cast.

'Apex' Is Flying Solo in the Movie Department

What really stands out? 'Apex' is the only movie in a Top 10 otherwise packed with TV series. Streamers have clearly decided everyone just wants more episodes and longer binge-watches. Sure, that might change soon (Netflix's family animation 'Swapped' is lurking in the wings), but for now 'Apex' is kind of in a category of its own.

So, How Long Can 'Apex' Hold On?

The big question: can 'Apex' make it three weeks straight at #1? With TV shows dominating the charts (and new movies constantly dropping), odds are something will shake up the standings next week. But for this brief moment, Charilze Theron's bullet-dodging blockbuster is queen of the streaming universe.

'Apex isn’t exactly a critical darling at this point, but it turns out millions of viewers still love a good, old-fashioned action movie. Streaming might be run by TV right now, but every once in a while, a pure popcorn flick still breaks through.'