Start the new year with a little extra suspense.

The best thriller movies and TV shows coming to Netflix in January 2026

Start the new year with a little extra suspense.

By Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

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December 31, 2025 12:00 p.m. ET

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Denzel Washington in 'Man on Fire'; James Franco on '11/22/63'; Neve Campbell and Denise Richards in 'Wild Things'. Credit:

Jurgen Vollmer/20th Century Fox; Russ Martin/Hulu; Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett

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 Room*, these 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)

Anton Yelchin as Pat in 'Green Room'.

**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 Yelchin, Alia 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)

Denzel Washington as John W. Creasy in 'Man on Fire'.

Jurgen Vollmer/20th Century Fox

**Available to stream: Jan. 1**

Denzel Washington brings undeniable force to *Man on Fire*, anchoring 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

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Wild Things (1998)

Neve Campbell as Suzie and Denise Richards as Kelly in 'Wild Things'.

Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett

**Available to stream: Jan. 1**

Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon, and Denise Richards lead the way in *Wild Things*, a 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, * *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)

Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy on 'The Following'.

Sarah Shatz/FOX

**Available to stream: Jan. 3**

On Fox's hit crime thriller *The Following*, danger 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

James Franco as Jake Epping on '11.22.63'.

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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