Is there such a factor as an Oscars bump? On Netflixthere is likely to be.
“The Excellent Neighbor,” Netflix’s Oscar-nominated documentary, has now surpassed 50 million views on the streamer since launching in October of 2025, IndieWire can reveal solely. These might not be “Tiger King” numbers, nevertheless it’s safely amongst a few of Netflix’s most-watched Oscar-nominated documentaries.
Maybe extra impressively, within the two weeks because the movie acquired its Oscar nomination, viewing for “The Excellent Neighbor” greater than tripled in comparison with the prior week. The movie was additionally bolstered by a win for Greatest Documentary on the Unbiased Spirit Awards and the Critics Alternative Awards (it doesn’t harm that this week’s episode of “Final Week Tonight with John Oliver” was all about police physique cameras).
Director Geeta Gandbhir‘s movie was a shock documentary hit on Netflix months after it first bought buzz out of Sundance. It spent three weeks on Netflix’s Prime 10 checklist globally, together with two weeks at No. 1 within the U.S. in addition to No. 1 in six different international locations. Enjoyable truth: the film that it knocked off the highest spot? “KPop Demon Hunters.”
However the truth that it bought into the Oscar race in any respect is a great signal for its probabilities. Netflix has had some hassle being acknowledged by the Academy’s documentary department ever since “My Octopus Trainer” gained again in 2020. Some buzzy and acclaimed acquisitions like “Daughters” and “The Outstanding Lifetime of Ibelin” have been snubbed, amongst others. The nomination for “The Excellent Neighbor” speaks to its broad attraction, and the truth that this socially aware movie additionally manages to scratch the true crime itch for lots of Netflix viewers speaks to its recognition.
“The Excellent Neighbor” is a rigorously constructed timeline of the homicide of Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens on June 2, 2023 in Ocala, Florida, who was killed when her white neighbor Susan Lorincz shot her and later invoked Florida’s Stand Your Floor legal guidelines in her protection. The movie is edited collectively nearly totally by way of police physique digicam footage, giving an unfiltered sequence of occasions of how this occurred and the way police didn’t react to warning indicators sooner.