'Bird Box' gave 'Stranger Things' season 2 a run for its money as Netflix's biggest original in the first week

Netflix

Sandra Bullock in "Bird Box"

• 26 million US Netflix subscribers viewed "Bird Box" in its first seven days, according to Nielsen.
• It's Netflix's second-biggest original program in the first week, behind only "Stranger Things" season 2.
• Netflix said that "Bird Box" was its biggest original film in the first week of release, and Nielsen's data confirms that the movie is a massive hit.

The "Bird Box" sensation continues.

Netflix's popular movie, which has taken the internet over with memes since it debuted December 21, was viewed by 26 million Netflix subscribers in its first seven days of release in the US, according to Nielsen data released on Tuesday.

It's the second most-viewed Netflix original program in the first week that Nielsen has analyzed, only behind "Stranger Things" season 2 in 2017. And "Stranger Things" is only ahead by less than 1 million viewers.

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Netflix said last month that over 45 million accounts worldwide viewed "Bird Box" in the first week, a record for Netflix original movies. It later confirmed that a view is counted if an account watches at least 70% of the content. Nielsen's findings confirm that "Bird Box" is, in fact, a massive hit.

Nielsen said that the "day-by-day consumption for the first 10 days of release was extraordinarily consistent." "Bird Box" was viewed by nearly 4 million subscribers in the US almost every day of its first 10 days. 3.9 million users watched on December 28, its biggest day.

It surpassed another hit Netflix original movie, "Bright," in the first seven days. While 5.4 million US subscribers viewed "Bright" on its premiere day compared to 3.5 million for "Bird Box," the latter showed momentum. After seven days, "Bright" was viewed by 20 million users, according to Nielsen.

Read more of Business Insider's "Bird Box" coverage:

• Netflix warned 'Bird Box' fans not to hurt themselves doing a new meme challenge
• Netflix's record-breaking viewership for 'Bird Box' has sparked debate in Hollywood, and some believe the company's lack of transparency hurts filmmakers
• Netflix says a record-breaking 45 million accounts watched 'Bird Box' in its first week, but we don't know how many finished the movie
• Stephen King was 'riveted by Netflix's new thriller, 'Bird Box,' and slammed critics for suffering from 'Netflix Prejudice'