I won't mince words — for the last few years, Netflix has been one of my least favorite streaming services, offering a 'quantity over quality' approach to content that has resulted in some truly lame movies which leave no lasting impression whatsoever.
You know the kinds of films I'm talking about — they often star the likes of Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds, and feel designed to simply pass the time rather than evoke any sort of emotional response. I would argue that most of Netflix's output can best be described as in-flight entertainment that you just happen to watch in your living room.
That's not to say it's all bad, but for every Rebel Ridge or Society of the Snow, it feels like you have to scroll past a dozen turkeys like The Man From Toronto, Damsel, Red Notice, Heart of Stone, The Union, Lift, Me Time and... well, you get the idea.
However, today's reveal of Netflix's 2025 slate has filled me with hope, boasting a lineup which I believe could signal a return to form for the streaming giant. For the first time since before the pandemic, I'm enthusiastic about being a Netflix subscriber.
Could Netflix end up back at the top of our best streaming services guide? Only time will tell. But for now, here are the films from Netflix's 2025 lineup that I'm personally most excited about.
Havoc
Filmed way back in 2021, Havoc will finally land on Netflix this spring following some reshoots, which were apparently very difficult to schedule. Director Gareth Evans (The Raid: Redemption, The Raid 2) promises that the film will be worth the wait. Havoc stars Tom Hardy as "a bruised detective [who] must fight his way through the criminal underworld to rescue a politician's estranged son", as per the film's official synopsis. As a massive fan of The Raid films, I can't wait for Havoc, which also stars Timothy Olyphant and Forest Whitaker.
Fear Street: Prom Queen
As someone who adores slasher movies, Netflix's Fear Street trilogy from 2021 was right up my alley. Now, the streaming service is gracing us with a new standalone entry in the franchise, this time based on R.L. Stine's book, The Prom Queen. Set at Shadyside High in 1988, this new film will see the school's prom queen candidates targeted by a deranged killer. Fear Street: Prom Queen is due for release in summer 2025.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
The first Knives Out film was a surprise favorite of mine in 2019, thanks to its fresh take on Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries. And while its follow up, Glass Onion, didn't land for me in quite the same way, I'm still very excited to see what writer-director Rian Johnson has cooked up for us in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Daniel Craig returns once again as detective Benoit Blanc, and will be joined by a cast which includes Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, Josh O'Connor and Andrew Scott.
RIP
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in a gritty crime thriller from director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin' Aces)? Sign me up! It's always great to see Affleck and Damon in a film together, and this story about a group of Miami cops who start turning on each other when they discover millions in cartel cash sounds like a winner. Add in a supporting cast which includes Kyle Chandler, Steven Yeun, Sasha Calle, Nestor Carbonell and Affleck-lookalike Scott Adkins, and I'm all in.
Happy Gilmore 2
Happy Gilmore has always been my favorite Adam Sandler movie, so consider me very happy indeed that a sequel is almost upon us. We already know that the film is packed with celebrity cameos, including Travis Kelce, Eminem and Margaret Qualley, but I'm most excited about seeing Sandler trade verbal barbs with Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) again after all these years. Just remember, Happy — It's allll in the hips...
Frankenstein
It's my opinion that visionary director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) never misses, and I'm expecting his take on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to be another classic. Apart from the subject matter being perfect for del Toro, the film has an exceptional cast, including Oscar Isaac as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as The Monster, Mia Goth as Elizabeth and Christoph Waltz as Dr. Pretorius.
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