At the start of August 2026, we asked our readers what Netflix movies or shows were they most excited for, and more than 12,000 people responded. Given how packed this summer's been with highly-anticipated blockbusters (“The Odyssey,” “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” just to name but a few), it feels like the perfect time to see what on Netflix's slate has our readers buzzing the most.
Granted, Netflix's summer releases so far haven't exactly blown us out of the water. The biggest release "Enola Holmes 3" felt like yet another unnecessary sequel, and it's little wonder it fell out of the Netflix top 10 within two weeks of its release. Kevin Hart's "72 Hours" is sitting at a rancid 18% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the claustrophobic thriller "The Last House" didn't fare much better at 21%. But we've still got a lot of 2026 left to go, with plenty of highly anticipated new releases on the horizon.
Out of over 12,000 total votes from our readers, fan favorites and high-stakes adaptations dominated the ranking. Season 2 of the raucous black comedy-drama "The Gentlemen" took the top spot with 17% (2,070 votes), proving that Guy Richie's slick crime world remains a massive draw for Netflix subscribers. All eight episodes of season 2 land on Netflix on September 3.
Just behind it in second place is my most anticipated Netflix release, "East of Eden," with 14% (1,741 votes). It's a star-studded reimagining of my favorite John Steinbeck novel of the same name, led by Florence Pugh (whom I also have a big fat crush on) as the scheming antihero, Cathy Ames. The limited series debuts on October 1.
Kristen Bell maintains her stranglehold on the small screen with her romantic-comedy series "Nobody Wants This," which holds third place with 13% (1,608 votes). There's no official release date yet for season 3, but it's slotted for sometime this fall.
"Outer Banks" season 5 came next with 11% (1,327 votes), keeping the treasure-hunting drama firmly in the top ranks of Netflix's library. All 10 episodes of the final season debuted on Netflix on August 20. Tied with it was season 6 of "Emily in Paris," a fashion-centric dramedy with a loyal fanbase clearly itching for more breezy European adventures.
Jumping to movies now, "The Whisper Man" grabbed 9% (1,105 votes ), a crime thriller with Robert De Niro, "Severance" star Adam Scott, and "White Lotus" star Michelle Monaghan. It premieres on Netflix on August 28.
Excitement for Netflix's "The Witcher" adaptation definitely seems to have fallen off since Henry Cavill left after the third season. The fantasy epic's fifth season tied with "The Whisper Man" at 9% of the votes, the second-lowest ranking of all Netflix's 2026 TV shows.
Pulling up the rear were the heist thriller movie "Here Comes the Flood" (688 votes) and the deep-water thriller series "Below" (64 votes). I was really surprised to see "Here Comes the Flood" rank so low considering its led by Denzel Washington and Robert Pattinson, two of Hollywood's biggest tour de forces.
We'll be running more polls and "Have Your Say" articles in the future, so stay tuned for our next reader vote!
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less.
More from Tom's Guide
