Netflix is sharing some scary-good content this October 2025, thanks to the fantastic films and specials that will get your heart pounding with terrifying tales, move you with emotional drama, and so much more. Whether you’re looking for something intense, informative, or entertaining, Netflix has got you covered. Keep reading for the streamer’s best new movies coming in October.
Netflix is releasing two standout original films in the first half of the month, with the Keira Knightley-led psychological thriller The Woman in Cabin 10, as well as the Cillian Murphy-helmed drama Steve, which are both poised to potentially land in the Netflix Top 10.
Additionally, in the back half of the month, Netflix will debut some action-packed movies that are sure to have you on the edge of your seat, such as the star-studded political thriller A House of Dynamite, Colin Farrell-led psychological thriller Ballad of a Small Player, and Spanish political thriller She Walks in Darkness.
Lastly, all throughout Netflix’s October streaming slate, you can embrace the spirit of spooky season with chilling true crime titles, like The Perfect Neighbor and My Father, the BTK Killer.
Want to know what other eye-grabbing movies are dropping on Netflix in the next month? Keep scrolling to check out our full list of must-watch movies on Netflix in October.
Released October 10
Photo: Netflix
Based on Ruth Ware’s 2016 novel of the same name, The Woman in Cabin 10 is a Netflix Original psychological thriller centered around a deadly mystery that unfolds on a luxurious yacht’s maiden voyage. Anticipation soon turns to confusion and fear as journalist Laura Blacklock (Keira Knightley) sees a passenger get thrown overboard. When no one on the ship seems to believe what Laura saw, she must put her life at risk to uncover the truth.
Inspired by Max Porter’s 2023 novella Shy, Steve is a moving British drama that follows a gripping 24 hours in the life of a reform school’s dedicated head teacher, Steve (Cillian Murphy). On this pivotal day, we follow Steve as he struggles under the pressure of helping his students, facing his school’s impending closure, and fighting his own personal demons. Over the same period, the film also follows Steve’s student, a troubled teen named Shy (Jay Lycurgo), who is fighting his own life-altering inner and outer battles.
In A House of Dynamite, the U.S. government is thrown into a state of chaos as a nuclear missile is launched at Chicago by an unknown foreign threat. With time of the essence and countless lives hanging in the balance, American officials rush to discover the identity of the attackers and devise a response. See Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Greta Lee, Anthony Ramos, and more in this intense political thriller, only on Netflix.
Adapted from Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel of the same name, Ballad of a Small Player is a Netflix Original psychological thriller that follows high-rolling gambler Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell) as he attempts to lay low and hide out in Macau, China. But just as his past misdeeds and debts catch up with him, Doyle meets a mysterious casino employee (Fala Chen) who just might be the key to saving him.
This Netflix Original political thriller out of Spain centers on young Civil Guard government agent Amaia (Susana Abaitua) as she leaves her life behind to go undercover, infiltrating the violent Basque nationalist and separatist organization, ETA. As she spends years undercover, Amaia puts her life on the line to rise through the ranks and gain access to the locations of the terrorist group’s various hideouts in the south of France, risking losing herself in the process.
The Perfect Neighbor is a Netflix Original documentary that shares the shocking act of violence that rocked an Ocala, Florida, neighborhood in 2023. The film uses bodycam footage to give a chillingly up-close-and-personal perspective of 58-year-old Susan Lorincz’s harassment of her 35-year-old neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens, which ultimately escalated to Lorincz fatally shooting the younger mother right in front of her 10-year-old son.
This Netflix Original Chilean family drama film tells the heartwrenching tale of the close, familial bond that forges between domestic worker Estela (María Paz Grandjean) and her six-year-old charge over the course of one tumultuous summer. In the midst of chaos, they’re able to build something special and meaningful together, until their different statuses and worlds threaten to tear their tender bond apart.
Celebrate the spooky season with this Filipino supernatural romantic-drama film that sees an older woman look back on her relationship with her inexplicably unaging lover. At the same time, a detective investigates a series of deaths that lead to shocking discoveries about the mysterious couple and their unsettling secret.
Take a candid and haunting look at a real-life horror with My Father, the BTK Killer. In this Netflix Original documentary, Kerri Rawson tells her story as the daughter of the BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader, and how the reveal of her father’s violent secret identity completely upended her life, peace, and sense of self. This is Rawson’s story of the family member that shaped, broke, and changed both her and her entire community.
Caramelo is a family comedy drama out of Brazil that revolves around a strong-willed, burgeoning chef named Pedro (Rafael Vitti) who finds hope, companionship, and joy in the form of a sweet stray dog who completely changes his life in the wake of an unexpected diagnosis. Brighten up your day with this heartwarming international film that you’ll want to give two paws up.
Kick off October streaming with the sound and story of Duki, the titular Argentinian musician and the nation’s lead voice in Latin trap. Rockstar: DUKI from the End of the World is a Netflix Original music documentary that offers a personal, in-depth look at the singer’s life, career, and rise to become the ever-evolving performer he is today.
