Netflix is always adding movies to its well-stocked library, and in particular it keeps a steady stream of thrillers in the pipeline. After all, the genre is persistently popular with subscribers, and as a huge thriller fan myself, I’m certainly not complaining about this.
I’ve combed through Netflix’s July 2026 slate and picked out the latest thrillers hitting the world’s biggest streaming service. These include a Christopher Nolan classic that’s the perfect watch ahead of “The Odyssey.” Or how about a mafia movie that stars Al Pacino?
If you’re looking to fill up your Netflix watchlist with recently added movies packed with tension, exciting and dramatic moments, here are the latest thrillers on the popular platform.
3 new to Netflix thrillers to watch this week
‘Donnie Brasco’ (1997)
Based on a true story, Al Pacino plays a mob boss in this crime thriller from director Mike Newell. It’s a story of torn loyalties, deception, and finding kinship in unexpected places. Also starring Johnny Depp, it’s a certified ‘90s classic based on the 1988 non-fiction book “Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia.” It’s a must-watch for mob movie fans, and while Depp’s character is the lead protagonist, it’s definitely Pacino who steals the show.
Joespho Pistone (Depp) is an FBI agent posing as a jewel thief to attract the attention of the Bonanno crime family, one of the major mafia groups in 1970s New York. Under the name Donnie Brasco, he becomes part of hitman Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero’s (Al Pacino) inner circle. Working from the inside to bring down the crime organization becomes complicated when he develops a real connection with Lefty, and his loyalties are tested.
Watch "Donnie Brasco" on Netflix now
‘Memento’ (2000)
The hype surrounding Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is building to a fever pitch with early reviews suggesting it’s another impressive blockbuster from one of the era’s most popular filmmakers. So, if you’re in the mood to watch a few of Nolan’s previous flicks to celebrate its imminent arrival, check out the psychological thriller “Memento." Nolan plays with a non-linear narrative in interesting ways, giving viewers an engrossing mystery to solve.
Alternating between black-and-white and color sequences, the thriller centers on Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), an insurance investigator who can't create new memories. Using a series of Polaroid photographs, handwritten notes, and tattoos inked on his own skin, he attempts to track down the man he believes is responsible for killing his wife. The movie builds up to a mind-bending twist, and rewards a second watch with the full picture clear.
Watch "Memento" on Netflix now
"Snowden" (2016)
![Snowden | Official Trailer [HD] | Open Road Films - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QlSAiI3xMh4/maxresdefault.jpg)
“Snowden” is another movie based on real history. Directed by Oliver Stone, known for genre heavyweights like “Scarface” and “Midnight Express,” it takes the actions of Edward Snowden and adapts them into a tension-fueled drama. At times the movie’s thriller foundations conflict with the reality of the situation, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a strong performance as the eponymous whistleblower, and the supporting cast is also great.
After a stakes-setting opening, in which Snowden holds a clandestine meeting with a journalist, this thriller flashes back to 2004 to explore how the former CIA employee went from working within the U.S. intelligence department to leaking classified information. The movie attempts to explore Snowden’s motivation, his conflicted headspace over whether to turn whistleblower, and how his actions led to major reforms and a wave of public scrutiny.
Watch "Snowden" on Netflix starting July 15
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