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Whenever I’m looking for what to watch next on Netflix, finding a compelling thriller is always my priority. I’m certainly not the only subscriber with a love of the genre, as whenever Netflix adds new thriller flicks to its library, they tend to rocket up the most-watched list.
The good news for anybody looking for a thrilling watch on Netflix over the coming days is that the world’s most popular streaming service has plenty to offer. There’s a recently released crime thriller based on a true story, a very twisting novel adaptation starring Emily Blunt, and a ‘90s psychological favorite with a highly memorable villainous performance.
Whatever type of thriller movie you prefer, I reckon at least one of these picks will appeal to your tastes. So, get these new to Netflix thriller movies in your watchlist this week.
Best Netflix thriller movies to watch this week
‘Dead Man’s Wire’ (2025)
“Dead Man’s Wire” offers a particularly gripping narrative, and it only gets more intriguing when you learn that it’s actually based on a shocking true story. Knowing that the events depicted on screen really happened greatly adds to the tension. However, its biggest selling point is Bill Skarsgård’s sterling work. The Swedish actor fully commits to the role of a man driven to the extreme when he feels taken advantage of by his mortgage broker.
Set in 1977, Tony Kiritsis (Skarsgård) walks into the offices of his mortgage company and takes the CEO’s son, Richard (Dacre Montgomery), hostage. Strapping a dead man’s device around Richard’s neck, if Kiritsis is harmed, the shotgun pointed at his hostage's chest will fire. What follows is a tense standoff as police try to talk Kiritsis down. But Kiritsis believes he’s morally justified in his actions, complicating things.
Watch "Dead Man's Wire" on Netflix starting May 29
‘The Girl on the Train’ (2016)
The best way I can describe 2016’s “The Girl on the Train” is that it’s like a Walmart version of “Gone Girl.” Its exploration of the darker side of a seemingly blissful marriage, twisting, multi-perspective narrative and polished cinematography appear more than a little inspired by David Fincher’s 2014 psychological masterpiece. Like most Walmart versions, it’s a serviceable approximation, but definitely not of the same overall quality.
Based on Paula Hawkins novel (itself released three years after Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl”), Emily Blunt plays Rachel, a recovering alcoholic and recent divorcée. Every day, she takes the same train into New York and becomes obsessed with a young couple, Scott (Luke Evans) and Megan (Haley Bennett), whose plush house she can peer into from the train. But when Megan mysteriously disappears, Rachel becomes dangerously involved in the case.
Watch "The Girl on the Train" on Netflix starting June 1
‘The Hand that Rocks the Cradle’ (1992)
“The Hand that Rocks the Cradle” is a real ‘90s thriller classic. It was remade for Hulu last year, but as is typically the case, the original remains the superior option. That’s in large part because of Rebecca De Mornay’s appropriately unhinged performance. This psychological chiller thrives on dramatic irony. As viewers, we’re given crucial information that our protagonists are completely oblivious to, which leads to some very unnerving moments.
The perfect life of Mrs. Mott (De Mornay) comes crashing down when her husband, a successful obstetrician, is accused of sexual misconduct and commits suicide to avoid facing the consequences. The stress of the situation causes Mrs. Mott to miscarry the couple’s first child. Blaming one of her husband’s accusers, Claire (Annabella Sciorra), she concocts a sinister plan to get revenge by posing as a nanny and wreaking havoc on Claire’s family from within.
Watch "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" on Netflix starting June 1
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