Look, let’s be real. Nobody is watching the 365 Days trilogy for a complex, Christopher Nolan-style plot that requires a whiteboard and a PhD to decode. It’s a spicy, high-gloss fever dream. But if you’re diving into the world of Massimo and Laura for the first time, or maybe you’re just trying to figure out where that twin brother storyline actually started, getting the 365 days order of movies right is the only way the "plot"—and I use that term loosely—actually makes any sense. It’s a wild ride. You've got kidnapping, Sicilian vistas, some of the most viral scenes in Netflix history, and a soundtrack that honestly slaps harder than it has any right to.
The series is based on the books by Polish author Blanka Lipińska. If you thought the movies were intense, the books are a whole different level of chaotic. But since we’re talking about the cinematic universe here, the timeline is actually pretty straightforward, even if the logic of the characters isn't. You basically just follow the release dates. Netflix didn't get fancy with prequels or non-linear storytelling. They just dropped three movies that track the increasingly bizarre relationship between a dominant mafia boss and the woman he decides to "collect."
Start Here: 365 Days (2020)
This is the one that started the global meltdown. Released in early 2020, it became the "guilty pleasure" of the lockdown era. The premise is... problematic, to say the least. Massimo Torricelli, a Sicilian mafia heir, sees Laura Biel on a beach, decides she’s his soulmate, and kidnaps her. He gives her 365 days to fall in love with him. He promises not to touch her without her consent, though the movie definitely pushes the boundaries of that psychological tension.
Why did this movie blow up? It wasn’t the dialogue. It was the "boat scene." You know the one. For months, people on TikTok were debating whether the actors were actually "acting" or if Netflix had accidentally uploaded something from a different kind of website. It’s shot like a high-end perfume commercial—lots of orange-and-teal color grading, expensive suits, and sweeping drone shots of Italy. Michele Morrone became an overnight superstar, and Anna-Maria Sieklucka had the unenviable task of making a kidnapping victim look like she was having the time of her life.
If you’re watching the 365 days order of movies, this is the foundation. It sets up the power dynamics and ends on a cliffhanger that had people screaming. Laura’s car goes into a tunnel. She’s being hunted by a rival mafia family. The car doesn't come out. Massimo falls to his knees. Fin.
The Middle Child: 365 Days: This Day (2022)
Two years later, Netflix finally gave us the sequel. If the first movie was a dark romance, the second one is basically a soap opera with a much higher production budget. It picks up right where the first left off, sort of. We quickly find out that Laura survived the tunnel incident—obviously, because there wouldn't be a sequel otherwise—and the movie kicks off with a wedding.
Massimo and Laura are married. Life should be great, right? Wrong.
Massimo is controlling. Laura is bored. Then comes Nacho. Nacho, played by Simone Susinna, is a gardener who is way too hot to just be trimming hedges. He enters the picture and provides the "love triangle" that the series desperately needed to keep the momentum going. This movie introduces some genuinely weird plot twists, including the revelation that Massimo has a twin brother named Adriano. Adriano is the "bad" twin—which is funny, considering Massimo is a literal mobster who kidnaps people—but Adriano is "cartoonishly" evil.
The second movie in the 365 days order of movies focuses heavily on Laura’s desire for independence, even as she finds herself caught between two different, equally dangerous men. It’s also where the music starts to take a front-row seat. The soundtrack is essentially a character at this point.
The Finale? The Next 365 Days (2022)
Netflix released the third movie just a few months after the second. They filmed them back-to-back, which explains why the quality (and the hair) stays consistent. By this point, the plot has moved away from the "kidnapping" vibe and into a full-on psychological drama about a woman trying to decide what she actually wants out of life.
Laura is back in Poland for a bit. She’s spending time with her best friend Olga. She’s thinking about Nacho. She’s thinking about Massimo. It’s a lot of brooding. A lot of staring out of windows. The third film is much slower than the first two. It feels more mature, in a weird way. It asks whether a relationship built on the foundation of the first movie can actually survive in the real world.
The ending of The Next 365 Days is famously ambiguous. Unlike the book, which has a very definitive (and very controversial) ending, the movie leaves things open. It’s a "choose your own adventure" style finale. Does she stay with Massimo? Does she go to Nacho? Does she choose herself? People were furious about the lack of closure, but in a way, it’s the most "artistic" choice the series ever made.
Why the Order Matters for the Subplots
If you skip around, you’re going to be totally lost on the secondary characters. Take Olga, for example. In the first movie, she’s just the funny best friend. By the third movie, her relationship with Domenico (Massimo’s right-hand man) is actually one of the more stable and interesting parts of the story.
Then there’s the whole rival mafia subplot. The Matos family is a constant threat in the background. If you don't watch in the correct 365 days order of movies, you won't understand why Massimo is constantly stressed out or why Laura’s life is always in danger. The movies try to balance the "romance" with "mob war," and while the romance usually wins, the mob stuff provides the stakes.
Real Talk: The Critic vs. Fan Divide
It is no secret that critics absolutely loathed these movies. The first film sits at a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Zero. That’s hard to achieve. Critics pointed to the glorification of Stockholm Syndrome and the thin plotting.
But here’s the thing: the fans didn't care. At all.
The movies stayed in the Netflix Top 10 for weeks. They were a cultural phenomenon. Why? Because they filled a niche. After Fifty Shades of Grey ended, there was a vacuum for high-budget, "spicy" cinema. Blanka Lipińska knew exactly what her audience wanted, and Netflix delivered it with high-gloss efficiency. The 365 days order of movies is essentially a journey through the evolution of modern "BookTok" tropes brought to life.
Navigating the Blanka Lipińska Books vs. Movies
If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, you have to look at the books. But fair warning: they are different. Like, really different.
In the books, Massimo becomes much more of a villain. There’s a whole plotline involving a heart transplant and Laura losing her mind. The third book, The Next 365 Days, was so hated by fans of the original romance that many refused to accept it as canon. The Netflix movies actually "fixed" a lot of the book's darker turns to make Massimo more likable—or at least, more watchable.
Watching the 365 days order of movies after reading the books is an exercise in seeing how a streaming giant tries to sanitize a truly wild story for a global audience. They kept the heat but dialed back some of the more extreme character assassinations.
Production Secrets You Might Not Know
The chemistry between Michele Morrone and Anna-Maria Sieklucka wasn't just luck. They spent a lot of time building rapport before the cameras rolled. Morrone, an Italian actor and singer, actually contributed several songs to the soundtrack, including "Hard For Me," which basically became the anthem of the series.
The filming locations are also a huge draw. From the historic streets of Sicily to the luxury hotels in Warsaw, the production team spent a lot of money making sure everything looked expensive. It’s "lifestyle porn" as much as it is a romance.
Actionable Steps for Your Rewatch
If you’re planning a marathon, don’t just hit play. Do it right.
- Check the Language Settings: While the English dub is... fine... the original Polish and Italian audio with subtitles is much better. The actors' real voices carry a lot more emotion than the voice-over artists.
- Don't Skip the Soundtrack: Seriously, use Shazam. The music curation is one of the strongest parts of the trilogy.
- Watch for the Foreshadowing: In the first movie, pay attention to the conversations Massimo has with his father. It sets up the "twin" reveal in the second movie more than you’d think.
- Prepare for the Ending: Don't expect a neat bow. The third movie is designed to make you think, not to give you a "happily ever after" on a silver platter.
The 365 days order of movies is simple: 365 Days (2020), 365 Days: This Day (2022), and The Next 365 Days (2022). Put them in that order, grab some popcorn (and maybe a glass of wine), and turn your brain off for six hours. It’s an experience. Whether you love it or hate it, you definitely won't forget it.
Your Viewing Checklist
- 365 Days (2020): Focuses on the kidnapping and the 365-day challenge. Ends with the tunnel cliffhanger.
- 365 Days: This Day (2022): Focuses on the marriage, the introduction of Nacho, and the twin brother Adriano. Ends with a literal shootout.
- The Next 365 Days (2022): Focuses on Laura's emotional recovery and her choice between the two men. Ends with an open-ended conversation on a beach.
Next time you're scrolling through Netflix and see Michele Morrone's face staring back at you, you'll know exactly where to start. Just remember: it’s a fantasy. Don't try the "365-day challenge" at home. It’s generally considered bad form to kidnap people, even if you have a private jet and a yacht.
The reality of the 365 days order of movies is that it's a snapshot of a specific moment in streaming history. It proved that international films could dominate the US market without needing a massive Hollywood marketing machine. All they needed was a compelling (and controversial) hook, some beautiful people, and a "watch next" button.
Once you've finished the trilogy, you might find yourself wanting more of that specific vibe. You can look into other Polish dramas on Netflix, like The Girl and the Cosmonaut or A Girl and an Astronaut, which often feature similar high-drama tones. Or, you could just go back and re-watch the boat scene. We won't judge. Everyone else is doing it too.
For the most authentic experience, try to watch these on a high-definition screen. The cinematography is genuinely one of the highlights, and the Sicilian landscapes deserve to be seen in 4K. It makes the whole "mafia kidnapping" thing feel a lot more like a travel vlog, which is probably why so many people booked trips to Italy after watching. Just... maybe stay away from any brooding men in black SUVs at the airport.
That's the tea on the 365 days order of movies. It's messy, it's over-the-top, and it's exactly what it tries to be. Enjoy the chaos.
Next Steps for the Ultimate Fan Experience:
- Download the official soundtrack on Spotify to relive the tension of the Sicilian clubs.
- Follow Michele Morrone and Anna-Maria Sieklucka on Instagram for behind-the-scenes glimpses of the filming process.
- Read the original Blanka Lipińska novels if you want to see just how much darker the story could have been.