Netflix's Twisty New 118-Minute Thriller Is Officially One Of Streaming's Biggest Movies

Published Aug 31, 2026, 9:45 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Netflix's twisty new thriller film just became a streaming sensation. The platform's latest original thriller movie is officially one of streaming's biggest movies, just days after its release on the platform. While Netflix is known for thriller TV shows like Ozark, The Night Agent, and Black Rabbit, the streaming service is also home to a number of original thriller movies that have performed well across its history. Some of its newer releases include The Whisper Man, starring Robert De Niro and Adam Scott, as well as The Last House, featuring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura. Now, one of Netflix's newest thriller movies, The Secret Woman, has become a streaming juggernaut just days after its August 28, 2026 release date. According to data from August 31, 2026, The Secret Woman is Number 2 worldwide on Netflix's charts, becoming one of the most popular streaming movies in just a few short days. Additional data confirms the movie is currently Number 1 in seven countries around the world: Denmark, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Norway, Reunion, Romania, and Sweden. These are just a few of the dozens of countries around the world where it's finding success. The Secret Woman is Number 3 in the United States. What Is The Secret Woman About? A Danish movie produced by Netflix, The Secret Woman follows Louise, a woman living a peaceful life on an island with her boyfriend, Joachim, with everything seemingly going well. However, things take a turn when someone arrives on the island and identifies her as Helene Söderberg, the owner of a shipping empire who went missing three years ago. The amnesia-focused Netflix thriller sees Louise trying to uncover her past as Helene, connecting the dots as to how she wound up on the island and who made her forget who she really is. The Netflix thriller has earned generally positive critical reception, scoring a 6.2 out of 10 on IMDb based on around 1,500 reviews. The movie's premise employs a typical film mystery presentation as Louise begins to unearth elements of her past that she didn't fully understand, learning just how much of her new life is actually a lie. The movie allows for an almost paranoid approach to its story, as the audience and main character alike are forced to grapple with new information that turns everything on its head. Why The Secret Woman Is Taking Off On Streaming Image via Netflix The Secret Woman is a streaming success thanks to its simple but effective premise, giving audiences an easy-to-digest story that provokes plenty of questions in the process. The movie's director, Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg, is also no stranger to making films for Netflix, having previously worked on the 2022 mystery thriller Loving Adults. It's this history, coupled with a compelling, twist-laden mystery, that makes The Secret Woman such a successful venture for the streaming platform. Its status as an international film also works to its benefit, drawing in a larger audience in the process. The Danish movie clearly emphasizes the power of global releases on Netflix, with the movie's popularity as a non-English language film indicative of Netflix's larger, worldwide reach. With an interesting premise that's captivated plenty of people around the world, The Secret Woman is a perfect rendition of a successful mystery series for the platform.