18 Must-Watch Thrillers on Netflix Right Now (October 2025)

After earning an Academy Award nomination for Straight Outta Compton, director F. Gary Gray also took the helm of Law Abiding Citizen, featuring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx. This film revolves around Clyde Shelton, a devoted family man played by Butler. Following the tragic murder of his wife and daughter during a home invasion, a compromised justice system propels Shelton into a vengeful rampage against not only the criminal but also the legal system that let him down.

Foxx and Butler display remarkable chemistry, representing opposing forces as they delve into complex themes surrounding the ineffectiveness of the criminal justice system and the moral dilemmas it presents. Bolstered by a gripping narrative that keeps viewers on their toes, Law Abiding Citizen proves to be a thrilling watch, albeit quite violent.

Meet Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), the ringleader of a band of surfer robbers operating in Southern California. They don masks of ex-presidents while executing high-stakes heists. Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), fresh out of the FBI Academy, infiltrates their ranks. However, he finds himself torn as he develops feelings for Tyler (Lori Petty), a member of the surf community.

Combining action, crime, and romance, Point Break remains a timeless classic. Its layered storytelling highlights the existential choices made by the characters against a backdrop of thrilling surf and bank heists while showcasing one of Reeves’ most memorable roles.

The much-anticipated sequel to a horror classic, 28 Years Later, arrives nearly two decades after its predecessor but retains the gripping tension of the original. With the Rage virus nearly eliminated across Europe, the British Isles remain under quarantine. Here, a surviving community on a remote island navigates the fallout of a world ravaged by chaos. When young Spike (Alfie Williams) ventures to the mainland with his father, he realizes just how much he has been missing.

The film, which features Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, received critical acclaim for its intricate direction, compelling screenplay, and engaging action interwoven with thought-provoking themes. The film marks the reunion of 28 Days Later’s original director and writer, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, delivering a satisfying cinematic experience.

28 Years Later is currently available on Netflix.

In San Andreas, Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson), a Los Angeles Fire Department pilot finds himself in a race against time. As the San Andreas fault shakes California with a catastrophic earthquake, Gaines must navigate through chaos to rescue his estranged wife (Carla Gugino) and their daughter (Alexandra Daddario).

This adrenaline-fueled disaster flick captivated audiences for its stunning visual effects and gripping storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat, showcasing Johnson’s exceptional performance.

San Andreas is available to stream on Netflix.

In Night Always Comes, Vanessa Kirby portrays a woman striving to hold her family together. Lynette (Kirby) must find a way to raise $25,000 to secure their family home after her mother carelessly squandered the money. Time is of the essence, and Lynette resorts to desperate measures to meet her need for cash legally, putting her family’s safety at risk.

Night Always Comes is now available on Netflix.

Bordertown features Jennifer Lopez as Lauren Adrian, a reporter yearning to cover the conflict in Iraq. Her editor, George Morgan (Martin Sheen), instead assigns her to investigate a series of rapes and murders occurring south of the border involving exploited women in factories. Alongside editor Alfonso Diaz (Antonio Banderas), Lauren seeks justice through the only she can—by uncovering the truth about the one woman who survived her assault, Eva Jimenez (Maya Zapata).

Bordertown is available on Netflix.

Envision investing your life savings into an apartment only to find it turning into your personal hell—that’s the fate for Noh Woo-sung (Kang Ha-neul) in the South Korean thriller Wall to Wall. As tensions rise, Woo-sung’s neighbors wrongly believe he’s the source of incessant noise pollution, leading to escalating conflict.

Tension mounts as someone in the building cruelly frames him, pushing him closer to the brink of madness. Uncovering the mastermind behind the chaos may plunge him even deeper into danger.

Wall to Wall is available on Netflix.

Sigourney Weaver stars in the 1995 thriller Copycat as Dr. Helen Hudson, a serial killer expert whose life takes a tragic turn when she becomes the target of one of her subjects. Left psychologically scarred and agoraphobic from the encounter, Helen is drawn out of hiding by Inspector Mary Jane “M.J.” Monahan (Holly Hunter) to assist with the hunt for a new killer who mirrors the style of her assailant.

As the investigation unfolds, Helen must confront her fears and rely on the insights of her tormentor in order to stop the new murderer.

Copycat is streaming on Netflix.

For his eighth movie, writer-director Quentin Tarantino delivers The Hateful Eight, where Kurt Russell plays the titular bounty hunter, John “the Hangman” Ruth, escorting the prisoner “Crazy” Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) through a snowstorm. When they encounter other survivalists at Minnie’s Haberdashery, Ruth starts to sense an undercurrent of distrust among the group, struggling to decipher who’s friend or foe.

The film features a star-studded cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern, and tests their resolves in a battle of wits amid escalating paranoia and betrayal.

The Hateful Eight is now available on Netflix.

Donald Ray Pollock, the author of The Devil All the Time, narrates this Netflix adaptation that interweaves the lives of several characters entwined in a web of sin and violence. Set in the late ’50s, the film charts Arvin Russell (Tom Holland), a troubled young man grappling with the legacy of his father, Willard Russell (Bill Skarsgård), a man tainted by his own demons. As Arvin navigates the looming threat posed by Reverend Preston Teagardin (Robert Pattinson), who has nefarious intentions toward his innocent friend, Lenora Laferty (Eliza Scanlen), dark truths emerge about his connection to a violent, depraved couple that threatens his existence.

The Devil All the Time is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

In one of his final roles after Euphoria, the late Angus Cloud stars in Your Lucky Day. Sterling, a man believing that luck has finally come his way, overhears a statement about a lottery winner, Mr. Laird (Spencer Garrett), prompting him to confront the man with a gun to claim the winnings. This impulsive decision spirals into chaos, resulting in multiple lives being intricately affected by his desperate gamble for fortune and security.

Sterling suggests splitting the prize with witnesses caught in the mayhem, but as his scheme unravels, it reveals dark truths and escalates into inevitabilities he couldn’t foresee. Your Lucky Day is streaming on Netflix.

In a reverse storytelling technique, directorial debut of screenwriter Oren Uziel tells the tale of Shimmer Lake, where Andy Sikes (Rainn Wilson) is hiding from his brother, Sheriff Zeke Sikes (Benjamin Walker) after participating in a bank heist. The plot unfolds the events leading up to this dramatic reveal, highlighting the tensions within this trio of friends—Chris Morrow (Mark Rendall) and Ed Burton (Wyatt Russell)—as their trust disintegrates under the weight of greed and betrayal.

Shimmer Lake is now streaming on Netflix.

Training Day director Antoine Fuqua collaborates with True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto on The Guilty, a remake of a Dutch thriller. The bulk of the film centers around LAPD officer Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal), as he works from a single location, attending to emergency calls while awaiting a disciplinary hearing. An alarming call from Emily Lighton (Riley Keough) sends him into a race against time to save her from her kidnapper.

With few resources at his disposal and the lack of support from his colleagues, Baylor’s investigation leads to troubling discoveries as every second counts. The Guilty is streaming now on Netflix.

Maika Monroe assumes the role of Julia, who relocates to Bucharest with her husband, Francis (Karl Glusman), only to feel increasingly isolated and stalked in the psychological thriller Watcher. Julia’s sense of dread escalates as she suspects that a man, played by Burn Gorman, is watching her every move.

While the authorities are unconvinced of her fears, another menace looms in the form of a serial killer at large. Julia must confront her anxieties and determine what is truly real before circumstances spiral out of control.

Watcher is currently streaming on Netflix.

In The Killer, directed by David Fincher, the titular character, played by Michael Fassbender, remains nameless yet resolute, thoroughly planning for success but ultimately facing failure. When an assignment goes awry, he’s hunted by those within the high-stakes international crime world and vows to eliminate those seeking his demise.

As he navigates a treacherous path laden with risks, he may find himself leaving a scorched earth policy in the wake of his retaliation. The Killer is streaming on Netflix.

Based on real events, The Good Nurse stars Jessica Chastain as Amy Loughren, a single mother who works alongside new nurse Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne). Initially supportive and trustworthy, Amy’s perception of Charles shifts when patients at their hospital begin dying unexpectedly. As she attempts to piece together the occurrences behind these tragedies, she risks her own safety while uncovering evidence of his dark past.

The Good Nurse is currently available for viewing on Netflix.

In Gerald’s Game, director Mike Flanagan adapts a unique horror thriller penned by Stephen King. The story centers around Jessie Burlingame (Carla Gugino), who finds herself handcuffed to a bed at the request of her husband, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood). When Gerald unexpectedly dies, Jessie is left trapped and must face her own psyche while dealing with the spectral presence lurking in her mind—known as Moonlight Man (Carel Struycken)—as she fights for survival in a twisted scenario.

Gerald’s Game can be streamed on Netflix.

In Leave the World Behind, Amanda (Julia Roberts) and Clay Sandford (Ethan Hawke) inadvertently choose a vacation time filled with chaos. As they settle in a remote cabin with their children, unusual and alarming events unfold outside, hinting at a larger crisis. Soon, the cabin’s owner, G.H. Scott (Mahershala Ali), shows up seeking refuge from the outside world, leading the Sandfords to question the sanity of their secluded trip into a reality that’s spiraling out of control.

Leave the World Behind is available on Netflix.