All 10 Major Netflix Movies Released So Far In 2026, Ranked

Published May 15, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT Felipe Rangel is a Movie and TV Journalist ScreenRant. He has been writing about movies and TV since 2021. Felipe joined ScreenRant in 2022, working across different teams, covering everything from breaking news to features to reviews and more. Felipe is a writer who is an avid film and TV fan, with superhero movies and series being his biggest passion. He graduated from college in 2019, having studied Journalism. Before college, he spent a month studying at the Oxford English Centre. His superhero knowledge expands to the comics, with his undergraduate thesis being "Politics Reflected In American Comics." Sign in to your ScreenRant account The best movies on Netflix in 2026 so far come from different genres, and some are better than others. Netflix's roster of movies keeps growing every month, with many licensed films and Netflix Original movies making the streaming service an evergreen destination for those looking for what to watch. 2026 is no different year for the streaming giant, as several exciting movies have been added to Netflix's roster of releases. There is something for everyone, with global smash hits coming from genres like sci-fi, action, thriller, comedy, and more. If you are looking for a thrilling movie to watch, Netflix likely has you covered. The year is not even at its halfway mark yet, and we already have Netflix movies that dominated global charts, have become universally acclaimed, and even broken all-time records for the streaming service. As such, 2026 is no regular year for the streamer. Netflix's movies released so far have achieved impressive feats. Now Streaming · Press Play How Well Do You Know Netflix Originals? “Red light, green light.” 🌀StrangerThingsThe Upside Down 🎭SquidGamePlayer 456 👑TheCrownLong live the Queen 🕸WednesdayNevermore Academy 🌹BridgertonDearest readers PRESS PLAY → 01 Squid Game shattered records on launch in 2021, becoming Netflix’s biggest-ever series debut. Hwang Dong-hyuk’s South Korean thriller centres on a desperate gambler named Seong Gi-hun. What is his player number? A067 B218 C001 D456 ✓ Correct! Gi-hun is Player 456 — the last number drawn. Kang Sae-byeok (the North Korean defector) is 067, Cho Sang-woo (the Stanford-educated finance crook) is 218, and the mysterious elderly Oh Il-nam is 001. Squid Game became Netflix’s first show to hit #1 in every country it launched in, amassing over 1.6 billion hours watched in its first month alone. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is 456. Gi-hun’s number is the very last of the 456 players. 067 is Sae-byeok the defector, 218 is Sang-woo the Stanford grad, and 001 is the mysterious old man Oh Il-nam whose identity becomes the series’ biggest reveal. Squid Game became Netflix’s most-watched launch ever, hitting #1 in 94 countries. NEXT → 02 The Tim Burton-directed Addams Family spin-off set at Nevermore Academy became Netflix’s second-biggest English-language debut in 2022 and launched a TikTok dance craze. Which young actress plays the deadpan title character? AJenna Ortega BMillie Bobby Brown CSadie Sink DMaya Hawke ✓ Correct! Jenna Ortega — a Disney Channel graduate and indie-horror favourite (X, Scream VI) — took the role Christina Ricci made iconic in the 1990s films and made it entirely her own. Her now-famous cello-accompanied dance scene became an overnight TikTok phenomenon, and her performance earned Wednesday two Emmy nominations despite airing mid-season. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is Jenna Ortega. Millie Bobby Brown is Eleven on Stranger Things, Sadie Sink plays Max Mayfield (also Stranger Things), and Maya Hawke plays Robin. Ortega’s deadpan Wednesday Addams — and her viral cello-dance scene — turned the show into a global phenomenon in late 2022. NEXT → 03 In 2013, Netflix released a dark political thriller starring Kevin Spacey as a ruthless congressman breaking the fourth wall. It became the first major streaming original to land a Primetime Emmy nomination and effectively invented prestige streaming TV. Which show was it? AOrange Is the New Black BHouse of Cards CArrested Development (revival) DHemlock Grove ✓ Correct! House of Cards — adapted by Beau Willimon from the 1990 BBC series — became Netflix’s first prestige original and proved a streaming service could go toe-to-toe with HBO. Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood and his asides to camera defined early streaming TV. Orange Is the New Black followed months later in July 2013 and became Netflix’s longest-running original at the time. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is House of Cards (February 2013). Orange Is the New Black launched five months later (July 2013), Arrested Development’s Netflix revival came in May 2013, and Hemlock Grove was a horror effort the same spring. House of Cards was the flagship — the first streaming original to earn a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. NEXT → 04 Peter Morgan’s The Crown famously recast its entire ensemble every two seasons to age the royal family. After Claire Foy played Queen Elizabeth II in seasons 1-2, which Oscar-winning actress took the crown for seasons 3-4? AImelda Staunton BOlivia Colman CHelena Bonham Carter DGillian Anderson ✓ Correct! Olivia Colman — fresh off her Best Actress Oscar for The Favourite — played the Queen across seasons 3 and 4, covering the late 1960s through the early Thatcher years. Imelda Staunton took over for seasons 5-6, Helena Bonham Carter played Princess Margaret in seasons 3-4, and Gillian Anderson stole the show as Margaret Thatcher in season 4. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is Olivia Colman. Imelda Staunton took over for the final two seasons (5-6). Helena Bonham Carter played the chain-smoking Princess Margaret during seasons 3-4 alongside Colman. Gillian Anderson delivered an Emmy-winning Margaret Thatcher in season 4. Colman anchored the show’s middle era fresh off her 2019 Oscar win. NEXT → 05 The Duffer Brothers’ 1980s nostalgia juggernaut sees Eleven and the gang battle inter-dimensional horrors from a portal beneath the town’s Hawkins National Laboratory. In which fictional US town and state is the series set? ADerry, Maine BHawkins, Indiana CHill Valley, California DTwin Peaks, Washington ✓ Correct! Hawkins, Indiana — a fictional Midwestern small town that became one of TV’s most iconic settings. The Duffer Brothers chose Indiana for its unassuming, ordinary-America vibe, making the supernatural chaos feel more jarring. Derry is Stephen King’s It setting, Hill Valley is from Back to the Future, and Twin Peaks is David Lynch’s famous town. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is Hawkins, Indiana. Derry, Maine is the fictional town from Stephen King’s It. Hill Valley is Marty McFly’s home in Back to the Future. Twin Peaks, Washington is David Lynch’s famous fictional town. Hawkins is The Duffer Brothers’ deliberately ordinary Midwestern setting — the flat, unassuming backdrop that makes Vecna’s horrors hit harder. NEXT → 06 Netflix’s Regency romance juggernaut — based on Julia Quinn’s novels and famous for its colour-blind casting, string-quartet pop covers, and narrated gossip column — is produced by which prolific showrunner’s production banner? AShonda Rhimes (Shondaland) BRyan Murphy CJulian Fellowes DJenji Kohan ✓ Correct! Shonda Rhimes — the creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal — produces Bridgerton through her Shondaland banner as the first major fruit of her massive 2017 Netflix deal. Chris Van Dusen created the show, but Shondaland’s signature ensemble-romance DNA is all over it. Julian Fellowes did Downton Abbey, Ryan Murphy did Monster/Dahmer, and Jenji Kohan did Orange Is the New Black. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is Shonda Rhimes (Shondaland). Ryan Murphy produces true-crime anthologies like Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Julian Fellowes is the Downton Abbey/Gilded Age creator — a different period drama entirely. Jenji Kohan is behind Orange Is the New Black and Weeds. Bridgerton was the first big payoff of Rhimes’ nine-figure Netflix deal. NEXT → 07 La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) became a global phenomenon on Netflix after a modest Spanish TV debut — partly thanks to its gang’s instantly recognisable red jumpsuits paired with a mask of which famous figure? AGuy Fawkes BSalvador Dalí CChe Guevara DPablo Picasso ✓ Correct! The Salvador Dalí mask — with its upturned moustache — became the show’s defining visual alongside the red jumpsuits, a nod to Spanish artistic rebellion and surrealist individuality. It inspired protest iconography worldwide, from Lebanon to France. The original Antena 3 version underperformed; Netflix acquired it in 2017, re-edited it, and turned it into a global sensation. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is Salvador Dalí. Guy Fawkes is the V for Vendetta mask that Anonymous adopted. Che Guevara is a common revolutionary image but not the heist crew’s mask. Picasso is a frequent wrong answer given he’s the more globally-known Spanish artist — but the Dalí mask, with its iconic moustache, is the one fused forever with Money Heist’s red jumpsuits. NEXT → 08 Netflix’s 2020 limited series about a Cold War-era chess prodigy named Beth Harmon caused a global surge in chess-set sales and was one of the streamer’s most-watched shows that year. Who played Beth? AFlorence Pugh BAnya Taylor-Joy CSaoirse Ronan DDaisy Edgar-Jones ✓ Correct! Anya Taylor-Joy — already a cult favourite from The Witch and Emma — broke out globally as Beth Harmon, winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress. The Queen’s Gambit pulled 62 million households in its first 28 days and caused such a chess-boom that Chess.com and retailers ran out of sets. It also made Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel a surprise bestseller almost 40 years later. ✗ Eliminated! The answer is Anya Taylor-Joy. Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Oppenheimer), Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), and Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Where the Crawdads Sing) are all frequent competitors in similar roles. Taylor-Joy’s Beth Harmon earned her a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and turned Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel into a sudden bestseller. REVEAL MY SCORE → Credits Rolling · Autoplay On Your Binge-Watcher Rank 🎬 / 8 Platinum subscriber — or still on the free trial? ⤴ PLAY NEXT EPISODE They have done so with a combination of fresh faces and huge stars, VFX-heavy movies and more intimate tales, new chapters in popular franchises or original concepts, and many more. With all that in mind, some 2026 Netflix movies do rank higher than the rest. These are the streamer's major releases this year so far, ranked: 10 Firebreak At the bottom of the list is Firebreak, a Spanish thriller set to a fiery backdrop. In the Netflix movie, a family gets caught up in a massive wildfire, and when the young Lide goes missing during the evacuation, it is up to her mother, Mara, to face the burning inferno to get her back to safety. That is a thrilling setup for a movie. However, Firebreak does not manage to land its emotional notes as well as it should. Instead of taking a fast-paced approach to heighten the sense of danger brought by the fire, Firebreak moves at a snail's pace. Multiple characters also make baffling decisions purely to move the plot along, making it forgettable. 9 Roommates Roommates is one of Netflix's divisive releases this year. While the movie was successful, it is not quite memorable. Roommates does feature a fair share of funny moments as it takes viewers on the wild ride that a freshman friendship can be. It is chaotic and has good actors. That said, the characters are not that interesting, with Celeste in particular not being someone you root for, and that complicates things. There are many frustrating elements to this friendship between two completely different characters, and it all leads to an ending that feels made purely for shock value. 8 Thrash ​​​​​​​For fans of the Netflix shark thriller Under Paris, Thrash is the perfect 2026 release on the streamer. While not meant to become one of the genre's classics, the survival thriller is compelling, doing a great job of building tension as a small town is completely flooded during a storm, and its characters, including a pregnant woman, must fight for survival. Phoebe Dynevor's Lisa, Whitney Peak's Dakota, and Djimon Hounsou's Dr. Dale Edwards are all interesting characters who are easy to root for. Thrash features bloody R-rated shark action that will have genre fans cheering at the screen. However, the movie's fault is that it is simply too short, with a few silly moments. 7 Apex ​​​​​​​Apex is one of the movies currently trending on Netflix, and it features quite the lead duo. In the Netflix survival thriller, Charlize Theron's Sasha, a rock climber dealing with trauma from the death of her husband, is hunted by Taron Egerton's Ben, a sadistic serial killer who enjoys the thrill of the chase. Apex is a decent Netflix release. The movie features quite a few exciting action set pieces, with strong performances from Theron and Egerton. However, it does not rank higher on the list due to its plot being somewhat predictable. It is an energetic survival story, but not one that has the necessary depth to stand out. 6 Swapped ​​​​​​​According to FlixPatrol, Swapped is Netflix's most-watched movie worldwide at the time of writing. The recent release has already made history at the streamer, as Swapped has become the most-watched Netflix animated movie in a single week of all time. This feat surely elevates its status, pushing the original up on the list. In terms of its animation, Swapped is fluid, vibrant, and an all-around good time. It features wondrous creatures who magically swap bodies and must learn to live in the other's shoes to eventually find peace for their species. It is a fun and visually stunning ride, but one that ends up feeling generic at times, story-wise. 5 The Rip ​​​​​​​The Rip is a Netflix action thriller that boasts one of the streaming service's most stacked casts. If this were a theatrical release, the actors alone would be worth the price of admission, with names like Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Kyle Chandler, and more delivering riveting performances. Damon and Affleck's chemistry shines as they give life to two police officers of a narcotics unit who start to doubt whether they can trust one another after apprehending a lot of cash during an operation. The Rip is a gritty crime thriller with intense sequences, surprising twists, and close-quarters action. While it has some formulaic beats, the movie is entertaining. 4 War Machine Alan Ritchson is one of the biggest stars in the world for his work as the titular character of Prime Video's Reacher, which was recently renewed for season 5. In War Machine, he gives life to a Staff Sergeant who, during a training exercise, comes face-to-face with a deadly machine that completely flips the film's genres. This sci-fi war movie feels fresh and features explosive action sequences. Ritchson's charisma and physicality make this one a worthy watch, as audiences will be rooting for his character all the way, which feels like an impossible confrontation. The CGI is well-done, the action is top-notch, the cast — includes names like Esai Morales, Jai Courtney, and Dennis Quaid — is interesting, and more. ​​​​​​​The first movie in the top three is Remarkably Bright Creatures, which is the latest release on the list, having arrived on Netflix on May 8. Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures tells the story of a woman with a tragic past who befriends an intelligent octopus and a young man looking for his father. The Netflix drama is one of the streamer's most emotional stories, with the octopus element making it a unique release, and captivating performances from Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, and Alfred Molina (who voices the octopus, Marcellus). Remarkably Bright Creatures boasts a high 81% critics' score and a near-perfect 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. 2 People We Meet On Vacation ​​​​​​​In second place is another book adaptation, the first of an Emily Henry novel. Simply put, People We Meet on Vacation has the potential to go down in history as one of the best modern rom-coms. Its lead duo, Emily Bader's Poppy and Tom Blyth's Alex, have sizzling chemistry throughout the film. Its story feels fresh, eventful, and always exciting. People We Meet on Vacation spans a decade, taking Poppy and Alex from unknowns to best friends to estranged and more as the duo vow to always come together every year for a vacation full of adventures. The Netflix movie is centered on a deep, meaningful connection that plays out like the best slow-burn relationships do, all with a healthy dose of laughs and multi-layered, very different characters. 1 Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ​​​​​​​Finally, out of all the major Netflix movies released in 2026 so far, the very best on the list has to be Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. The film marked the final chapter in the iconic Peaky Blinders series, bringing back Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby for one last ride. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is universally acclaimed, with a 90% critics' score and a slightly lower 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Murphy easily slips back into the role as if no time had passed, with the British crime thriller's cast being rounded up by stars like Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, and more. This is a violent, moody, and powerful final chapter to Shelby's story. Albeit rushed at times, the fast-paced approach serves to heighten the tension, and the action delivers at every turn. This brutal approach makes Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Netflix's best 2026 movie thus far.