Every month, Netflix adds plenty of movies to its library, ranging from enduring classics to modern favorites. There’s always something “new” to watch on the streaming service.
In September 2026, Netflix is adding 52 movies. 40 flicks arrived on the first day of the month, and the rest will be dished out periodically throughout September. That’s a lot to digest. So, I’ve turned to review site Rotten Tomatoes to put together a ranking of the five movies added to Netflix this month with the highest critics' score.
Granted, a high score doesn’t guarantee a movie will appeal to your personal tastes (opinions will differ), but it’s still a useful indicator.
Before presenting this month’s ranking, I should note that Netflix originals that haven’t released yet are excluded; obviously, they don’t have an RT score yet, and in the event of a tie, I’ve used the viewer’s rating to break the deadlock. Now that’s cleared up, here are the 5 movies added to Netflix in September 2026 with the highest scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
New to Netflix movies in September 2026, ranked by RT score
‘Straight Outta Compton’ (2015)
Musical biopics continue to top the box office charts (“Michael” grossed more than $1 billion earlier this year), and “Straight Outta Compton” is one of the finest in the genre. It chronicles the groundbreaking rap group N.W.A. This insight into the quintet is engaging, triumphant, occasionally heartbreaking and particularly inspiring. I’m not even a hip-hop music fan, and yet I found myself captivated by this look into a group that changed the scene.
Kicking off in 1980s Los Angeles, Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Easy-E (Jason Mitchell), DJ Yella (Neil Brown Jr.) and MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) form the rap group N.W.A . Their music pulls no punches, and their first record, titled “Straight Outta Compton,” puts them on the map, and then some. But as their popularity grows, fame, fortune, and legacy put a heavy burden on the band and on their friendships.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Stream "Straight Outta Compton" on Netflix now
‘Phantom Thread’ (2017)
![PHANTOM THREAD - Official Trailer [HD] - In Select Theaters Christmas - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xNsiQMeSvMk/maxresdefault.jpg)
Paul Thomas Anderson earned his long-deserved Best Director Oscar earlier this year for his awards-dominating “One Battle After Another.” But true film fans know he's been making masterpieces for almost his entire career, including 2017’s achingly romantic “Phantom Thread.” Anderson teams with previous collaborator Daniel Day-Lewis, and when the duo works together, they always seem to strike gold. “Phantom Thread” is another true gem.
Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) is a renowned dressmaker in 1950s London. Known for his peerless work, he’s dressed anybody who’s anybody in high society, from royalty to movie stars of the era. Intensely committed to his craft, he’s not so invested in relationships, preferring short flings over finding deep connections. However, when a young waitress, Alma (Vicky Krieps), becomes his latest muse, his perfectly fitted life is disrupted by true love.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
Stream "Phantom Thread" on Netflix now
‘Aliens’ (1986)
“Aliens” might be the perfect sequel. Next to “The Godfather Part II” and perhaps “Toy Story 2,” there are few follow-ups that many fans actually hold above the original. James Cameron followed up 1979’s “Alien” (which we’ll discuss shortly) with a guns-blazing sequel that swaps the claustrophobic scares of its predecessor for pure ‘80s machismo, and it’s glorious. “Aliens” is one of the best action movies ever…even if I do prefer “Alien” (fight me).
Post her first encounter with a terrifying Xenomorph, Ellen Ripley has been drifting in space for more than 55 years. Picked up by a salvage crew, she soon finds herself returning to the planet LV-426, where the nightmare started. The planet is now home to a Weyland-Yutani colony, but when the inhabitants stop responding, Ripley and a crew of Colonial Marines are dispatched to assist. Once there, they find not just a single Xeno, but a whole hive of them.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
Stream "Aliens" on Netflix now
‘Alien’ (1979)
“Alien” is my personal favorite movie of all time, and while many franchise fans will make the case for “Aliens” superiority, for me, the original always wins out. It’s one of the most effective sci-fi horrors ever made, with well-written characters, smart world-building, and a creature design that has become iconic for good reason. Even after dozens of rewatches, its most terrifying moments still send a shiver down my spine. It’s an unequivocal masterpiece.
Directed by Ridley Scott, “Alien” sees the crew of the commercial vessel Nostromo respond to a distress signal on an isolated planet. While investigating, one of the crew is attacked by an alien parasite, and the situation only becomes darker from there. Introducing the world to Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley and the iconic Xenomorph, “Alien” is a critically acclaimed sci-fi horror that spawned a blockbuster franchise.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%
Stream "Aliens" on Netflix now
‘Jaws’ (1975)
The highest-rated movie being added to Netflix this month is “Jaws,” and this influential shark thriller is certainly good value for its 97% score. If anything, I’m actually surprised it’s not even higher. Steven Spielberg’s 1975 effort became the highest-grossing movie of all time upon its release (“Star Wars” would dethrone it two years later). It resulted in the term “blockbuster” entering the common lexicon as people lined up around the block to see it.
Set in the New England town of Amity Island, the annual Fourth of July festivities are nearing, with tourists flooding the picturesque location. However, all is not well on the beaches, as there’s a great white shark in the water. With the mayor (Murray Hamilton) refusing to close the tourist-packed beaches, a trio (Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss) take to the seas to hunt down the man-eating shark.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Stream "Jaws" on Netflix now
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