Netflix has a new top movie, but not every subscriber can watch it. Following its streaming debut on Netflix on Dec. 9, the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni-starring box office hit It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name, quickly soared to become the most popular movie on Netflix, despite millions of subscribers of the ad-supported plan being unable to stream it.
Based on Hoover’s 2016 novel of the same name, the buzzed-about film stars Lively as florist Lily Bloom, who falls for ambitious neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni, after they hit it off during a chance meeting. However, as the relationship begins to mirror her parents’, and when her first love, Atlas Corrigan, suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with Ryle gets upended, leaving her with an impossible choice.
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The film released in theaters back in August before making its way to Netflix on Dec. 9. With plenty of chatter surrounding the movie due to some behind-the-scenes drama, It Ends With Us garnered plenty of attention, helping it become not only a box office success, but a Netflix hit. The movie currently ranks No. 1 on Netflix in the U.S., outranking fellow Top 5 contenders Subservience, That Christmas, Our Little Secret, and Mary.
It Ends With Us reached the No. 1 spot despite a major obstacle: the film is currently one of more than 150 titles blocked to subscribers of Netflix’s ad-supported tier. Launched in November 2022 to spur subscriber growth, and currently costing just $6.99 per month in the U.S., the subscription tier boasted 70 million global subscribers as of November 2024, a number that rose from 40 million in May and 22 million in January, Variety reported.
Although the ad-supported tier has proven to be a popular subscription option that is seeing steady growth, those who sign up for the Standard with Ads plan face some limitations. Dozens of popular TV series, movies, and even Netflix originals are blocked to Standard with Ad subscribers due to licensing agreements that prioritize higher-tier subscriptions or specific regions. And while the number of titles locked to subscribers has fallen from 5.1% in 2022 to 2% in 2024, ad-supported subscribers will still see a locked symbol on more than 150 titles in the Netflix library.
Per What’s on Netflix, as of December 2024, a total of 151 titles are blocked to the ad-supported subscription tier in the U.S. Along with It Ends With Us, that long list includes all six seasons of the Netflix original series House of Cards, all seasons of Peaky Blinders, 2024’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, 2002’s Maid in Manhattan, 1996’s Matilda, and all seasons of Vikings, just to name a few.
Those hoping to view those blocked titles will have to upgrade to one of the pricier Netflix subscription tiers – the Standard Plan ($15.49 per month) or the Premium Plan ($22.99) per month.
