New year, new you… but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun. Why not carve out some “me time” and get lost in a few hours of nail-biting suspense on Netflix?
The streamer is starting 2026 strong with a fresh lineup of thrillers that will keep you guessing the whole way through. From the violent and disturbing moments of Fox’s The Following to the unpredictable chaos of films like Wild Things and Green Roomthese titles (and more) will keep you hooked from start to finish.
If you’re up for some nonstop twists and turns, here’s your cheat sheet for the best thriller movies and TV shows coming to Netflix this January.
Green Room (2015)
A24
Available to stream: Jan. 1
A24’s Green Room is a high-voltage thriller that never lets up. What starts as a typical gig for the punk band the Ain’t Rights quickly descends into pure terror after a show at an isolated neo-Nazi bar takes a deadly turn. With no escape, the young band members (played by Anton YelchinAlia Shawkat, Joe Cole, and Callum Turner) are forced into a vicious fight for survival against merciless extremists, led by Patrick Stewart’s sinister Darcy Banker.
Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Cast: Anton Yelchin, Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Callum Turner, Joe Cole, Mark Webber, Eric Edelstein, Kai Lennox, Macon Blair, David W. Thompson
Man on Fire (2004)
Jurgen Vollmer/20th Century Fox
Available to stream: Jan. 1
Denzel Washington brings undeniable force to Man on Fireanchoring the film with a performance that turns an ordinary revenge story into something brutal and emotional. The two-time Oscar winner stars as John Creasy, a broken former CIA operative drowning in regret and alcohol, now working as a bodyguard. When the young girl (Dakota Fanning) he’s sworn to protect is abducted, Creasy unleashes a relentless campaign of vengeance to get her back.
Director: Tony Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken, Dakota Fanning, Marc Anthony, Mickey Rourke, Giancarlo Giannini, Radha Mitchell, Rachel Ticotin
Wild Things (1998)
Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett
Available to stream: Jan. 1
Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon, and Denise Richards lead the way in Wild Thingsa seductive flick that’s more than just its steamy scenes. It’s a twisting, backstabbing thriller where no one can be trusted. Everyone has an agenda, loyalties change on a dime, and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, Entertainment Weekly reminds us that “Wild Things never stops pulling the rug out from under you.”
Director: John McNaughton
Cast: Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Theresa Russell, Carrie Snodgress, Robert Wagner, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Bill Murray, Jeff Perry
The Following (2013–2015)
Sarah Shatz/FOX
Available to stream: Jan. 3
On Fox’s hit crime thriller The Followingdanger lurks in every corner. Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) is a brilliant deadly serial killer, and his devoted cult will go to any lengths to carry out his twisted plans. The only one who can stop him is Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), the former FBI agent who thought he put a stop to Joe’s reign of terror years ago. But as Joe’s web of violence continues, Ryan is stuck chasing a notorious killer who’s always one step ahead.
Creator: Kevin Williamson
Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Shawn Ashmore, Connie Nielsen, Natalie Zea, Nico Tortorella, Valorie Curry, Jessica Stroup, Sam Underwood, Annie Parisse, Kyle Catlett
11.22.63 (2016)
Russ Martin/Hulu
Available to stream: Jan. 7
Based on Stephen King‘s bestselling novel, Hulu’s 11.22.63 is a heart-pounding thriller that throws James Franco into a race against time. He plays Jake Epping, a high school teacher who finds a portal to 1960 and takes on the daring mission of stopping John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The past refuses to be changed, and every move Jake makes could have serious consequences.
Creator: Bridget Carpenter
Cast: James Franco, Sarah Gadon, Chris Cooper, Josh Duhamel, Cherry Jones, George MacKay, Lucy Fry
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