Gerard Butler's underrated 2018 crime thriller climbs Max's top charts ahead of the release of Beetlejuice 2

The holidays are here, and you'd think streaming services would be dominated by heartwarming family classics. Surprisingly, that's not the case, suggesting a shift in what audiences crave during the festive season—perhaps an expansion of tastes or a move towards edgier entertainment.

Action-packed holiday movies like "Die Hard," "Silent Night, Deadly Night," and Shane Black's signature Christmas-themed thrillers ("Lethal Weapon," "The Last Boy Scout," "The Long Kiss Goodnight," and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang") have become modern classics. Their popularity isn't surprising; a Christmas Eve marathon of these films sounds pretty appealing. Christmas Day, however, traditionally calls for more sentimental fare like "It's a Wonderful Life" (which, on closer inspection, has surprisingly dark undertones) or a version of "A Christmas Carol."

However, FlixPatrol's data on Max's current top streaming titles paints a different picture. Instead of heartwarming holiday stories, the service is reportedly dominated by titles like Beetlejuice (and potentially its sequel, Beetlejuice 2, should it gain traction during the holiday season) – a macabre comedy more aligned with Halloween than Christmas. The inclusion of Beetlejuice in the holiday top 10 is certainly unexpected. Perhaps the buzz around the upcoming sequel, Beetlejuice 2, is driving viewers back to the original. Or maybe, after saying his name three times ("Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!"), audiences are finding a darkly comedic antidote to the saccharine sweetness of traditional holiday fare. This unexpected trend could indicate a growing appetite for unconventional holiday viewing, demonstrating that Christmas entertainment doesn't always have to be tied to traditional themes. The anticipation for Beetlejuice 2 might be so high that fans are revisiting the original in droves, inadvertently boosting its holiday streaming numbers. Whatever the reason, the presence of the "Ghost with the Most" among the top holiday streams suggests a fascinating evolution in holiday viewing habits.