Netflix's Steamiest New Thriller Is Quietly Becoming One Of Its Biggest Global Hits

A steamy Netflix thriller has become one of its biggest streaming hits.

The streaming giants have transitioned into Netflix Originals over the past decade, producing numerous movies and TV shows under the Netflix banner. Many of these shows and movies have enjoyed mixed success, but some international productions have become breakout hits, and enjoyed success with a global audience base.

Netflix erotic thrillers have become a growing trend on streaming in recent times, ever since the success of the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, and Netflix has developed a penchant for cheesy erotic thrillers, such as the global hit 365 Days. And now the platform is seeing the success of another one of these movies that falls under a similar umbrella.

Directed by Teresa Simone, Desire is a Spanish erotic thriller that released on Netflix on July 17. The movie follows a mother who begins an affair with her daughter’s new swimming coach, and things become further complicated when her daughter begins to fall for him. The movie has become an international success, gaining worldwide recognition as the most watched movie globally.

The movie has hit the number 1 spot in 27 different countries, including its native Spain, and has recorded a top #10 position in the UK. Desire has also topped the U.S. movie charts just a few days after its release, and looks set to attract even more viewers in its first full week on the Netflix global charts.

Desire embodies all the hallmarks of modern streaming smut — improbable plot points, cheesy sex scenes, wooden acting, and unintentionally laugh-out-loud moments — yet this has proven to be a seemingly winning combination for viewers. Perhaps the fact that the movie is an international production has given Desire an extra level of credibility with viewers.

Netflix Originals can often prove to be a mixed bag, but viewers often look for easy-to-watch movies that explore more taboo topics, and Desire definitely fits into this category. Whether the movie does enough to hold audience attention long-term remains to be seen, but early reception to the movie appears to be positive enough that Netflix is sure to produce more projects in a similar vein in the future. The success of shows like Sex/Life demonstrated that there is a strong appetite for erotic thrillers, and Desire could become a long-term international hit for Netflix.

Desire is available to stream right now on Netflix.