Strawscores the biggest audience for a Netflix movie in 2025. Written, directed, and produced by Tyler Perry, the psychological thriller stars Taraji P. Henson as Janiyah, a single mother caring for her chronically ill daughter, Aria (Gabby Jackson), who must deal with a series of unfortunate events that cause her to commit unthinkable crimes. In addition to Henson in the lead role,Straw’s castalso includes Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor, Sinbad, Rockmond Dunbar, Ashley Versher, Mike Merrill, and Glynn Turman.
Now, after releasing on June 6,Strawhas scored the biggest weekfor aNetflixfilm in 2025, racking up an impressive 48.9 million views last week. This marks not only the biggest week for any Netflix film in 2025 so far, but also the best debut week for a new release this year. This week, the movie maintained its position at the top of Netflix’s English Films chart. It also ranked among the Top 10 titles on Netflix globally and was the third most-watched title on IMDb this week.
What This Means For Straw
Strawis Tyler Perry’s latest movie that has been popular on streaming despite middling reviews from critics. Many of his pastNetflix movies–A Fall from Grace,A Madea Homecoming,A Jazzman’s Blues,Mea Culpa, andThe Six Triple Eight –were panned by critics, but were somewhat popular on the streaming service.Perry’s new movie has been more mixed, splitting critics right down the middle with a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, that hasn’t stopped many people from streaming the movie.
WhileStrawreviewspraise Taraji P. Henson’s powerful performance, they criticize Perry’s poor writing, the film’s melodramatic plot, and frustrating ending. On the other hand,audiences have been much more favorable towardsStraw, indicated by its 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes and now, its streaming record. It scored the biggest week for a Netflix film in 2025, beating out past titles like Amy Schumer’sKinda Pregnant,The Electric State,Fear Street: Prom Queen, and popular rom-coms likeLa Dolce VillaandThe Life List.
Our Take On Straw’s Netflix Streaming Record
Tyler Perry Has Become A Streaming King
WhileTyler Perry moviesdon’t release in theaters because they probably wouldn’t fare well at the box office, considering the current theatrical landscape, his movies are consistently popular on Netflix, earning him an almost “streaming king” reputation. On Netflix, his brand thrives, consistently drawing tens of millions of viewers. Perry has carved out a unique position for himself as a streaming powerhouse, proving that, for him, theatrical releases, or critical acclaim for that matter, aren’t necessary for his movies to be popular.
