The Best Netflix Original Movies to Stream Now

From Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biographical drama ‘Maestro’ to David Fincher’s assassin flick ‘The Killer’

With buzzy new titles and forgotten favorites, Netflix has enough content to keep you streaming for hours — including plenty of must-see original movies.

The streamer has something for every type of film lover, whether you’re into high school comedies like Do Revenge and Metal Lords or critically acclaimed flicks like The Killer and All Quiet on the Western Front.

Keep scrolling for the best original movies on Netflix to watch now.

May December

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in May December, 2023.

Francois Duhamel / Courtesy of Netflix

At 36, Gracie Atherton (Julianne Moore) became the center of a tabloid scandal due to her infamous affair with seventh grader Joe Yoo. Two decades later, Gracie is now married to Joe (Charles Melton) with three children. However, their past comes back to haunt them when renowned actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) — set to portray Gracie in a film — visits them for research.

Watch May December on Netflix

Leave the World Behind

Myha’la Herrold, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts in Leave the World Behind, 2023.

JoJo Whilden/NETFLIX 

In Sam Esmail’s 2023 apocalyptic thriller, married couple Amanda (Julia Roberts) and Clay (Ethan Hawke) escape to a hidden Long Island getaway with their kids (Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans) — only for it to be upended when the homeowners (Mahershala Ali, Myha’la Herrold) seek refuge, revealing news of an unexplainable cyberattack. Stranded without technology and surrounded by bizarre animal behavior, the two families are forced to fight for survival.

Watch Leave the World Behind on Netflix on Dec. 8

Maestro

Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan in Maestro, 2023.

Jason McDonald/Netflix

In this 2023 biographical drama, director and co-writer Bradley Cooper stars as Leonard Bernstein, an iconic conductor, composer and pianist who balanced his illustrious career, a 26-year marriage with actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) and his affairs with men. Nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, Maestro also features supporting performances from Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman and Michael Urie, among others

Watch Maestro on Netflix on Dec. 20

Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire

Sofia Boutella in Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire, 2023.

Clay Enos/Netflix 

Zack Snyder’s two-part space epic introduces us to the Motherworld, a distant universe ruled by the corrupt royal empire the Imperium. In Part One: A Child of Fire, we meet Kora (Sofia Boutella), a former Imperium fighter who now lives on the peaceful farming moon of Veldt. But when her village is attacked by Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) via battle cruiser, she rallies warriors across the galaxy to resist their tyrannical rule.

Watch Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire on Netflix on Dec. 22

Nyad

Annete Bening in Nyad, 2023.

Liz Parkinson/Netflix

Academy Award-nominated Annette Bening dives into the role of Diana Nyad, an accomplished 60-year-old athlete who decides to revisit the 110-mile open-ocean swimming marathon she left behind three decades ago. Steadfast in finishing the swim without help from a shark cage, Diana embarks on a four-year journey alongside her best friend/coach (Jodie Foster) and a supportive sailing crew. 

Watch Nyad on Netflix

The Killer

Michael Fassbender as The Killer in The Killer, 2023.

Netflix

In this 2023 crime thriller, Michael Fassbender steps into the shoes of an isolated and methodical assassin, feeling his composure eroding with each moment spent hidden in the shadows, waiting for his next victim. Directed by lauded filmmaker David Fincher — who reunites with his Se7en (1995) co-writer Andrew Kevin Walker — The Killer also stars Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton.

Watch The Killer on Netflix

Rustin

Aml Ameen and Colman Domingo in Rustin, 2023.

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

From the director of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) comes a long-overdue exploration of a story that has been all but erased from the civil rights movement. Colman Domingo stars as Bayard Rustin, the advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. (Aml Ameen) and an out gay Black man who dedicated his life to the fight for racial equality and played a pivotal role in orchestrating the historic March on Washington in 1963.

Watch Rustin on Netflix

Reptile

Benicio Del Toro and Alicia Silverstone in Reptile.

Daniel McFadden/Netflix

In the wake of a gruesome murder involving a young real estate agent, Detective Nichols — played by Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro, with his first-ever screenwriting credit for a feature-length film — attempts to uncover the truth in a case filled with conspiracy and deceit while grappling with his own demons. Directed by Grant Singer, this crime thriller stars Del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Pitt, Sky Ferreira and more.

Watch Reptile on Netflix

El Conde

Jaime Vadell and Paula Luchsinger in El Conde.

Pablo Larrai­n/Netflix

Winning the best screenplay award at the Venice Film Festival, this 2023 horror satire reimagines Augusto Pinochet (Jaime Vadell) — the Chilean dictator who led the military party in overthrowing President Salvador Allende’s socialist government in 1973 — as a 250-year-old vampire. Confronting the shame and family turmoil spawned by his tyranny, the immortal chooses to die once and for all.

Watch El Conde on Netflix

Fair Play

Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor in Fair Play.

Sergej Radovic/Netflix

Entangled in a secret love affair, newly engaged couple Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) must tread carefully within the treacherous terrain of their shared workplace, a fiercely competitive hedge fund company. When Emily lands the coveted promotion that Luke had been vying for, their relationship takes an unexpected turn, ushering in a new complex power dynamic both inside and outside the office.

Watch Fair Play on Netflix

Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction

Kurt Dreyer as Shrekenstein and Alice Bier Zanden as Ehrengard in Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction, 2023.

Jan Pallesen/Courtesy of Netflix

For those in need of a Bridgerton-esque fairy tale, this period dramedy is for you. Directed by two-time Palme d’Or winner Bille August and featuring set designs and costumes by Queen Margrethe II, Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction follows a certified love virtuoso, Mr. Cazotte (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), who’s hired by the Grand Duchess (Sidse Babett Knudsen) to teach her reserved son (Emil Aron Dorph) how to charm a woman in hopes of procuring an heir. However, faced with an unexpected romance of his own, Mr. Cazotte realizes there are still more aspects of romance he needs to learn.

Watch Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction on Netflix

Love at First Sight

Haley Lu Richardson as Hadley Sullivan in Love at First Sight, 2023.

Rob Baker Ashton/Netflix

Whether you find yourself on the hopeless romantic or cynical side of the love at first sight phenomenon, it’s a timeless rom-com trope that’s a perfect escape from today’s digital dating scene. Seated next to each other on an international flight, strangers Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy) instantly fall for each other and, despite all odds, try to find each other again long after they’ve landed. 

Watch Love at First Sight on Netflix

The Saint of Second Chances

Rebecca Veeck and Mike Veeck in The Saint of Second Chances, 2023.

Courtesy of Netflix

Premiering at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, this documentary chronicles the story of Mike Veeck, the son of Hall of Fame baseball owner Bill Veeck, who tarnished both his and his father’s professional careers in just one night. With Charlie Day playing the younger Veeck and narration by Jeff Daniels, this is a heartrending comeback story that anyone can enjoy.

Watch The Saint of Second Chances on Netflix

Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child

Netflix

From internet sensation (with several controversies under his belt) to professional boxer, Jake Paul has built an impressive résumé. In addition to interviews with his brother Logan, parents, fans and fellow boxers, Paul opens up about his life’s twists and turns in this tell-all documentary.

Watch Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child on Netflix

Heart of Stone

Robert Viglasky/Netflix

In this action-packed espionage flick, Gal Gadot takes on the role of Rachel Stone, a seemingly ordinary technician with a secret identity as part of the mysterious spy network, the Charter. When the Charter’s most-prized asset, the Heart, becomes the target of an ambiguous hacker, Rachel must push her skills to the limit to protect her organization.

Watch Heart of Stone on Netflix

The Monkey King

Netflix

Inspired by the legendary Ming Dynasty tale, this animated adventure film follows the brazen titular monkey (Jimmy O. Yang) who uses his magic stick to battle demons and the Dragon King (Bowen Yang). During his journey, he’s joined by a young village girl (Stephanie Hsu) who teaches him the value of helping others.

Watch The Monkey King on Netflix

Wham!

Courtesy of Netflix

This musical documentary chronicles the magnificent journey of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley from adolescent friends to global superstars. With access to never-before-seen footage, Wham! captures Michael and Ridgely’s meteoric rise in the music industry while also immersing viewers in the nostalgic spirit of the ’70s and ’80s.

Watch Wham! on Netflix

The Deepest Breath

Courtesy of Netflix

Watch Italian champion free-diver Alessia Zecchini push to set a world record with the support of safety diver Stephen Keenan. Directed by Laura McGann, this breathtaking A24-produced documentary follows the pair as they develop a bond while pushing their bodies to extreme lengths and exploring the mesmerizing depths of the ocean.

Watch The Deepest Breath on Netflix

They Cloned Tyrone

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

Directed by Juel Taylor, this sci-fi mystery comedy follows three neighbors — played by Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris and John Boyega — who witness a kidnapping, leading them to a confidential lab where they discover something sinister: They’re cloning town citizens. Now mindful of the government conspiracy, the trio seeks out more answers in an attempt to put an end to these unethical experiments.

Watch They Cloned Tyrone on Netflix

The Mother

Eric Milner/Netflix

In 2023’s The Mother, Jennifer Lopez stars as an assassin who only comes out of hiding to save the daughter she was once forced to leave behind. The action-packed flick also stars Joseph Fiennes, Lucy Paez, Omari Hardwick, Paul Raci and Gael García Bernal, and was directed by Niki Caro, who also made Disney’s live-action Mulan.

Watch The Mother on Netflix

The Pale Blue Eye

Scott Garfield/Netflix

Based on Louis Bayard’s eponymous novel, this 2022 mystery thriller set in the 19th century stars Christian Bale as a veteran detective who investigates multiple murders at West Point military academy alongside a young trainee: Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling). The Pale Blue Eye also features Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton and Robert Duvall, among others.

Watch The Pale Blue Eye on Netflix

The Strays

Chris Harris/Netflix

Ashley Madekwe stars in this 2022 British psychological thriller as Neve, a biracial woman who maintains an opulent lifestyle for herself and her family as deputy headmistress of her children’s private school. When Neve’s complicated past emerges through the cracks, her carefully curated life in the suburbs starts to unravel.

Watch The Strays on Netflix

All Quiet on the Western Front

Reiner Bajo/Netflix

Adapting Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel of the same name, Edward Berger’s 2022 anti-war film follows a young German soldier whose quixotic ideas of World War II are destroyed when having to survive its violent realities. All Quiet on the Western Front is a visually graphic portrayal of the horrors of war, earning four Academy Awards in 2023 — including Best International Feature Film.

Watch All Quiet on the Western Front on Netflix

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Netflix

Winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, Guillermo del Toro reimagined the classic story of Pinnochio through a modernized lens, combined with his signature directing style. This 2022 stop-motion musical fantasy stars Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett and more.

Watch Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio on Netflix

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

Dan Smith/Netflix

Roald Dahl’s beloved 1988 novel about a young girl named Matilda with telekinetic powers has gotten its fair share of adaptations over the years. In this 2022 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning stage musical, Alisha Weir takes on the titular character, supported by an ensemble cast featuring Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch and myriad talented “revolting children.”

Watch Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical on Netflix

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Courtesy of Netflix

In Rian Johnson’s standalone sequel to 2019’s Knives Out, detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns and takes his sleuthing skills to a tech billionaire’s private Greek island, where he meets a group of money-grubbing personalities. Glass Onion features a star-studded ensemble cast (and surprise cameos from Hollywood A-listers), including Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Dave Bautista and Madelyne Cline.

Watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix

White Noise

Wilson Webb/Netflix

Noah Baumbach’s 2022 satirical drama stars Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig (Baumbach’s partner and the director of 2023’s Barbie) play a married couple in the 1980s. When a train collision leaks poisonous chemicals within reach, the spouses are forced to flee from their comfortable suburban life in Ohio for their family’s safety.

Watch White Noise on Netflix

Enola Holmes 2

Netflix

In the follow-up to 2020’s Enola Holmes, Millie Bobby Brown returns as the titular detective-for-hire and younger sister of Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill). The 2022 sequel sees Enola taking on her first case to find a missing girl, and it’s just as exciting and thrilling as the first film.

Watch Enola Holmes 2 on Netflix

Falling for Christmas

Scott Everett White/Netflix

Lindsay Lohan stars as Sierra Belmont in the 2022 holiday rom-com Falling for Christmas. Sierra is a spoiled hotel heiress who loses her memory in a ski accident where she falls off a mountain after her boyfriend proposes. She ends up being rescued by a handsome widower and cabin owner (Glee alum Chord Overstreet) in more ways than one.

Watch Falling for Christmas on Netflix

Luckiest Girl Alive

Sabrina Lantos/Netflix

In the 2022 movie adaptation of Jessica Knoll’s acclaimed novel of the same name, Mila Kunis plays Ani, a woman who appears to have it all — a wealthy fiancé (Finn Wittrock) and the job of her dreams as a writer in New York City. But when she’s reminded of her dark past, her seemingly perfect life begins to show its imperfections.

Watch Luckiest Girl Alive on Netflix

A Jazzman’s Blues

Jace Downs/NETFLIX

Tyler Perry wrote the screenplay for A Jazzman’s Blues in 1995, but he didn’t bring the Netflix original to fruition until 2022. The film centers on Bayou (Joshua Boone) and Leanne (Solea Pfeiffer) as they unravel decades of secrets and fall for each other — despite their families’ best efforts to keep them apart.

Watch A Jazzman’s Blues on Netflix

The Good Nurse

JoJo Whilden / Netflix

Based on a true story, The Good Nurse chronicles the terrifying crimes of nurse Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne). When fellow nurse Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain) discovers that her new friend is responsible for dozens of lives lost, she works to put an end to his abuse of power.

Watch The Good Nurse on Netflix

Do Revenge

Kim Simms/Netflix

Drea Torres (Camila Mendes) is the high school “it” girl who has it all, until someone leaks an intimate video meant for her boyfriend (Austin Abrams). Drea teams up with outsider and unlikely friend Eleanor (Maya Hawke, the daughter of actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman) to retaliate against their bullies in 2022’s witty and heartfelt Do Revenge.

Watch Do Revenge on Netflix

The Stranger

Netflix

Resurfaced secrets threaten to ruin the newly formed friendship between Henry Teague (Sean Harris) and Mark Frame (Joel Edgerton). Inspired by the real-life investigation of one of Australia’s most well-known murder cases, this 2022 psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Watch The Stranger on Netflix

Look Both Ways

Felicia Graham/Netflix

On the eve of her college graduation, Natalie (Lili Reinhart) takes a pregnancy test after having no-strings-attached sex with her friend Gabe (Danny Ramirez) weeks earlier. Natalie’s life splits into two parallel realities — one where her test is positive and the other negative — in this 2022 romantic comedy.

Watch Look Both Ways on Netflix

Spiderhead

Netflix

Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth) runs a futuristic research facility in this 2022 dystopian flick. Spiderhead is a unique penitentiary where prisoners like Jeff (Miles Teller) are offered deals for reduced sentences: They can test drugs that alter their perceptions of reality.

Watch Spiderhead on Netflix

Day Shift

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

Trying to make a living just might kill Bud (Jamie Foxx), who needs to come up with some serious cash to pay for his daughter’s private school tuition and braces. Forced to return to the vampire hunting union, he is assigned nerdy partner Seth (Dave Franco) to keep him in check.

Watch Day Shift on Netflix

13: The Musical

Alan Markfield/Netflix

Adapted from the coming-of-age Broadway production, 13: The Musical follows 12-year-old Evan (Eli Golden), whose bar mitzvah plans are thwarted by the divorce of his parents, Jessica and Joel (Debra Messing and Peter Hermann). Evan and his mom move from New York City to small-town Indiana. To fit in and make new friends, he hatches a plan to turn his bar mitzvah into the coolest party ever. The 2008 Broadway hit launched the careers of both Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies — so don’t be surprised when these young actors soon become Hollywood stars.

Watch 13: The Musical on Netflix

A Perfect Pairing

Vince Valitutti/Netflix

Victoria Justice stars in this 2022 romantic comedy as Lola, a wine executive in Los Angeles ready to start her own company. Lola finds herself working on an Australian sheep farm to prove her value to a potential client — and a handsome local (Adam Demos).

Watch A Perfect Pairing on Netflix

Hustle

Scott Yamano/Netflix

In this 2022 drama, Adam Sandler plays Stanley Sugerman, an international scout for the Philadelphia 76ers who dreams of becoming a coach. Stanley’s search for basketball stars and his life of traveling prove to be a challenge for his family and wife Teresa (Queen Latifah), so he changes direction and works as an assistant coach for the team — until a change in management forces him back on the road and on the hunt for fresh talent.

Watch Hustle on Netflix

Metal Lords

Scott Patrick Green / Netflix

High school outcasts and best friends Kevin and Hunter (Jaeden Martell and Adrian Greensmith) form a metal band with cellist Emily (Isis Hainsworth) to compete in their school’s Battle of the Bands. But things are pretty hard for the only two metalheads at the school in this teen comedy.

Watch Metal Lords on Netflix

Darlings

Netflix

This black comedy clocked over 10 million viewing hours during its opening weekend in August 2022, per BBC News — the largest opening ever for a non-English language original film. Hijinks ensue in Darlings after Badru (Alia Bhatt) pursues revenge on her abusive husband (Vijay Varma).

Watch Darlings on Netflix

The Gray Man

Paul Abell/Netflix

Directed by the Russo brothers — best known for their work with Marvel — The Gray Man is a thrilling action movie with a star-studded cast. Ryan Gosling leads the ensemble as a secret agent, joined by Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Bridgerton‘s Regé-Jean Page. In July 2022, Netflix announced a sequel and spinoff for the hit film were in the works.

Watch The Gray Man on Netflix

Rescued by Ruby

Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix

Dog lovers will treasure this 2022 drama based on a true story. Rescued by Ruby follows Daniel O’Neil (Grant Gustin), a state trooper who dreams of joining the state police’s K-9 search and rescue team. As he nears his 30th birthday — and the deadline to qualify — his only hope is a rambunctious shelter dog named Ruby.

Watch Rescued by Ruby on Netflix

Wedding Season

Ken Woroner/Netflix

To ease the parental pressure of finding a spouse by their immigrant parents, Asha (Pallavi Sharda) and Ravi (Suraj Sharma) pretend they are dating at various weddings during the summer. However, real feelings creep in as they get acquainted in this 2022 romantic comedy.

Watch Wedding Season on Netflix

Persuasion

Nick Wall/Netflix

Dakota Johnson heats up the screen with Henry Golding in Persuasion, the 2022 Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 1818 novel. In this modern retelling, spinster Anne Elliot (Johnson) is a woman stuck between the one who got away (Cosmo Jarvis) and a dashing distant cousin (Golding).

Watch Persuasion on Netflix

Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood

Netflix

Jack Black and Zachary Levi lend their voices to this 2022 animated drama, set just before the Apollo 11 moon landing and loosely based on the childhood of director and writer Richard Linklater. Apollo 10 1⁄2 tells the fictional coming-of-age story of a fourth grader plucked from his average life to be the first person to land on the moon.

Watch Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood on Netflix

The Weekend Away

Ivan Šardi/Netflix

Beth (Leighton Meester) is a new mom traveling to Croatia for a getaway with her best friend Kate (Christina Wolfe) in the 2022 thriller The Weekend Away. Their perfect vacation soon turns into a nightmare when Kate goes missing, sending Beth on the search for answers. As she gets closer to the truth, more disturbing twists are revealed.

Watch The Weekend Away on Netflix

Munich — The Edge of War

Frederic Batier/Netflix

Based on the 2017 novel by Robert Harris, this 2022 historical drama depicts the events leading up to World War II. Jeremy Irons stars as Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister doing everything he can to prevent Europe from entering a war as Adolf Hitler nears an invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Watch Munich — The Edge of War on Netflix

The Adam Project

Doane Gregory/Netflix

13 Going on 30 costars Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo reunite in Shawn Levy’s 2022 fantasy thriller The Adam Project. Ryan Reynolds also stars as a pilot traveling back in time, forced to team up with his younger self (Walker Scobell) to save the world.

Watch The Adam Project on Netflix

The Sea Beast

Netflix

Featuring the vocal talents of Karl Urban and Jared Harris, this 2022 fantasy adventure flick follows a brave sailor (Urban) who embarks on his most daring quest yet — with an unexpected young stowaway (Zaris-Angel Hator). Together they become unlikely allies and make history on their epic journey on the high seas.

Watch The Sea Beast on Netflix

Senior Year

Boris Martin/Netflix

In 2022’s Senior Year, Rebel Wilson stars as 37-year-old Stephanie who wakes up from a 20-year coma. With the reluctant support of her father (Chris Parnell), Stephanie returns to high school to finish what she started and to achieve her dream of becoming prom queen. Sam Richardson, Justin Hartley and Angourie Rice round out the cast for this fish-out-of-water comedy, featuring a cameo from Alicia Silverstone.

Watch Senior Year on Netflix

Wendell & Wild

Netflix

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele team up for their first performance together since Toy Story 4 in this 2022 stop-motion animation film. Two scheming demon brothers enlist the help of Kat Elliot (This Is Us actress Lyric Ross) — an angsty teen carrying guilt from the loss of her parents — to summon them to the world of the living.

Watch Wendell & Wild on Netflix

Against the Ice

Lilja Jonsdottir/Netflix

Based on a true story of a 1909 polar expedition, this awe-inspiring drama follows two Danish men fighting for survival as they explore Greenland for a lost map. Game of Thrones alum Nikolaj Coster-Waldau wrote the screenplay and stars in this heart-racing flick.

Watch Against the Ice on Netflix

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education