Ahead of Thanksgiving, we dug into a three-year lookback of U.S. viewing behavior over the holiday weekend — and some clear rewatch patterns emerged. From nostalgic comfort watches to surprise modern favorites, Americans consistently turn to familiar stories, beloved characters, and feel-good escapes when the long weekend arrives.
Using demand data across the last three Thanksgiving weekends, the JustWatch streaming charts reveal not just what families are watching, but why these titles keep coming back year after year. Spoiler: nostalgia still reigns supreme.
🔍 Key Takeaways
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles remains the definitive Thanksgiving movie — unbeatable in its blend of chaos, comedy, and heart.
- Knives Out continues its unexpected rise as a modern holiday favorite, proving that cozy whodunnits now have a place at the Thanksgiving table.
- Nostalgia dominates: 7 of the Top 10 films were released before 2010.
- Comfort viewing staples — including The Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving — remain essential family traditions.
- Music and cult classics like The Last Waltz and Addams Family Values still draw devoted annual rewatchers.
🎬 The Top 10 Most Rewatched Thanksgiving Movies (2022–2024)
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) – Fubo, MGM+, Paramount+
- Knives Out (2019) – Prime Video
- Wicked (2024) – Prime Video
- The Hunger Games (2012) – HBO Max
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) – Apple TV+
- The Wizard of Oz (1939) – HBO Max
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – Fubo, HBO Max, Peacock Premium
- Dutch (1991) – Not currently available to stream
- The Last Waltz (1978) – Tubi
- Addams Family Values (1993) – Apple TV+, Kanopy, Hoopla
📺 Why These Movies Keep Coming Back
Planes, Trains and Automobiles keeps its #1 position thanks to its timeless portrayal of holiday travel chaos — something almost everyone can relate to. Its blend of slapstick humor and genuine heart makes it endlessly rewatchable.
Meanwhile, Knives Out continues to chart an unexpected path into holiday tradition status. Each year, demand spikes over the Thanksgiving weekend as families settle in for a clever, funny, and twisty mystery.
Fantasy and musical blockbusters — Wicked, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and The Wizard of Oz — maintain their staying power by appealing to multigenerational families looking for shared viewing.
And then there are the cult classics: Dutch, The Last Waltz, and Addams Family Values. These titles may not top mainstream charts during the rest of the year, but Thanksgiving weekend consistently brings their most passionate fans back for annual rewatches.
📊 Sourcing & Methodology
This report is based on combined U.S. clickout and streaming demand across Thanksgiving weekends from 2022 to 2024. Rankings come from JustWatch’s proprietary popularity index, which tracks where audiences are clicking to watch movies across major streaming services and cinema offers.
For more details, visit the JustWatch Streaming Charts: https://www.justwatch.com/us/streaming-charts
