23 Must-Watch Thrillers on Netflix Right Now (May 2026): ‘Killer Joe’ and More

True-life thrillers are often the best because they offer the immediacy of truth with the spit and polish of fiction. In Dead Man’s Wire, director Gus Van Sant dramatizes the bizarre case of Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), who, on February 8, 1977, kidnapped mortgage broker Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery) after convincing himself that he and his father, M.L. (Al Pacino), cheated him out of some money over a land development deal gone wrong. Richard’s kidnapping triggers a media circus, with almost as many journalists as police officers circling Tony’s home. Tony seems determined to get what he wants — his money back and an apology — and he’d rather die than fail.

Does Tony die? A quick Wikipedia search will give you that answer, but it’s much more satisfying watching it unfold in Dead Man’s Wire. The movie is set in a very specific period when the American Dream was being clobbered by a sluggish economy and high gas prices, but it obviously has resonance today, with high inflation rates and the Iran War driving down consumer confidence to record lows. Bill Skarsgård is sensational as a man fed up with being taken advantage of and not willing to take “no” for an answer any longer.

Chris Smith (Emile Hirsch) is 22, broke and in debt to his drug dealer. That’s a bad combination, but Chris thinks he has a solution: hire “Killer Joe” Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) to kill his deadbeat mom and share the life insurance policy with his estranged dad, Ansel (Thomas Haden Church), his unfaithful stepmom, Sharla (Gina Gershon), and his developmentally-challenged sister, Dottie (Juno Temple). Joe fulfills his part of the deal, but the Smith family is true-blue white trash, and they’re too greedy to share anything, let alone money. 

Killer Joe is a thriller where the most principled person among its cast of characters is a contract killer. Joe is no angel, but at least he’s a man of his word. The Smiths don’t know the meaning of honor, and their backstabbing fuels the film’s escalating suspense and violence. Released unrated due to its “graphic disturbing content involving violence and sexuality, and a scene of brutality,” Killer Joe isn’t for the weak of heart, but it’s worth streaming if you want to see very bad people do very bad things to each other.

After her scumbag boyfriend cheats on her, New York City software designer Allison “Allie” Jones (Bridget Fonda) kicks him to the curb and solicits an ad seeking a “single white female” so she won’t feel alone. She thinks she’s found the perfect candidate with Hedy Carlson (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a shy young woman who helps Allie get over her heartbreak. But Hedy wants to be more than Allie’s roomie — she wants to be a surrogate sister, and maybe something even more intimate. Allie’s best friend quickly becomes her worst enemy, and it will take more than an eviction notice to get rid of her.

Made at the height of the early ‘90s erotic thriller craze, Single White Female is a smart thriller that cuts deeper than you’d expect. Stylishly directed by Oscar nominee Barbet Schroeder, the film portrays two emotionally damaged women who have more in common than either one would probably like. Fonda and Jason Leigh are terrific as friends-turned-enemies, with the latter in particular garnering sympathy for a character who does absolutely awful things. (If you’re a squeamish dog lover, I wouldn’t watch it.)

Ash (Riz Ahmed) is a freelance fixer who helps whistleblowers like Sarah (Lily James) accept cash for their silence. Sarah’s case is unusual because the company she’s threatening doesn’t want to shut her up by paying her money — they want to kill her! The only person she can trust is Ash, who isn’t looking to be a hero. He may have to be, though, not only to spare Sarah’s life, but to save his own skin as well.

Relay is an excellent suspense film that should appeal to anyone who enjoys paranoid thrillers like The Firm with Tom Cruise or Three Days of the Condor with Robert Redford. The movie is largely realistic, which only heightens the drama. That all that happens in Relay could occur in real life makes the eventual narrative twists that much more impactful — and scary to contemplate.

Silver Lake resident Sam (Andrew Garfield) is woefully behind on his rent payments, has no job and doesn’t seem to be looking for one. Instead, he’d rather fixate on conspiracy theories and spy on his beautiful new neighbor, Sarah (Riley Keough). After hanging out with her, Sam finds that Sarah has disappeared the next day, leaving a cryptic symbol on her bedroom wall. Using disparate clues, Sam follows a breadcrumb trail to uncover where Sarah went, revealing deeper, more sinister secrets of Silver Lake, Los Angeles.

After Under the Silver Lake flopped hard back in 2019, director David Robert Mitchell was placed in director jail for seven years and is finally re-emerging with The End of Oak Street this August. While critics (and its own distributor) were unjustly unkind to the film, Under the Silver Lake succeeds as a weird, sprawling, languorous and ambitious neo-noir conspiracy thriller. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path, you will find strange and intriguing delights in this under-appreciated gem.

Small-town singer and fruit picker Chito (JayDee) finds his dreams finally becoming reality when a clip of one of his performances goes viral. Chito takes the opportunity to make a substantial name for himself on the scene of contemporary Mexican-American music. But his desperate need to keep his family from the brink of foreclosure leads him to trafficking marijuana, and his relentless striving for his own American Dream will have him crossing paths with a dangerous man named Angelo (Eric Roberts).

While the plot of Clika may feel like a familiar rags-to-riches story, the film still keeps things consistently engaging in part due to the killer soundtrack. Clika is also a fantastic spotlight for Mexican-American representation on film with an uplifting and inspiring story, relatable characters and a touching message. 

Trap House stars Dave Bautista as DEA Agent Ray Seale, who embarks on a Texas drug bust alongside his partner, Andre (Bobby Cannavale). But the cartel is one step ahead of them and the raid turns deadly. To get back at the cartel who killed his best friend’s dad, Ray’s son Cody (Jack Champion) devises a plan to recruit his friends and rob the cartel’s trap house. But when the DEA realizes something’s up, they mistake the kids for a criminal drug organization.

Trap House is a solid action film with an engaging throughline about family struggles that packs real emotional punch. The movie is fun and entertaining, while making it easy to root for the characters until the very end. Though the narrative can be a bit messy at times, tight direction from Michael Dowse and great performances from the committed cast go a long way in elevating the material.

On a vacation in Thailand, social media influencer Madison (Emily Tennant) has been using her trip to promote herself and her advertisers online. But otherwise, she spends her time bored, alone and wishing that her boyfriend had come with her. When she meets a young woman named CW (Cassandra Naud), the two strike up a fast friendship, and CW shows Madison the sights while also encouraging her to be more free-spirited. Little does Madison know, CW’s affability comes with a catch.

With strong lead performances by Naud and Tennant, Influencer shines as a sharp little thriller that doubles as an incisive critique of influencer culture. With strong Hitchcockian elements mixed with a dash of Patricia Highsmith, Influencer both explores and subverts the influencer persona in a film that is engaging and highly entertaining.

Ahead of their wedding, the married couple-to-be, Shelby (Brittany O’Grady) and Cyrus (James Morosini), gather with their college friends at a secluded home for one last hoorah. Also in attendance is their friend Forbes (David Thompson), whom they have not seen since an incident at their university got him expelled. When he arrives at the party, Forbes carries a mysterious suitcase that he claims will allow the friends to participate in a remarkable game. But as they play, the night descends into a psychological nightmare.

Clever and distinct, It’s What’s Inside is a rip-roaring “party from hell” directed with stylish flair by Greg Jardin. Without spoiling what the movie is about, all we’ll say is that It’s What’s Inside isn’t just a thrillingly good time — it’s also a surprisingly astute critique of millennial-specific anxieties of how we are perceived by others, both in person and online.

When punk rock band the Ain’t Rights play a last-minute gig at a seedy bar, they realize they’ve wandered into a trap. The bar’s run by neo-Nazis with a penchant for violence, and when the band witnesses a murder, they realize their lives are in jeopardy. Outnumbered, they’ll have to use every one of their survival instincts to make it out alive.

Green Room is one of the tensest indie thrillers to come out in the last decade. Director Jeremy Saulnier, who made 2024’s terrific action-thriller Rebel Ridge, has a knack for keeping his audience on their toes without resorting to cheap tricks. Among the cast, look for Patrick Stewart, who ditches his saintly Professor X persona to play a very evil skinhead.

When New York bartender Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) is asked by his weirdo English neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith), to watch his cat, Hank inadvertently becomes the target of multiple crime syndicates. Russ plants a crucial item in Hank’s apartment along with his friendly feline, and Hank quickly realizes that not only is his life threatened, but so is his girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz).

Darren Aronofsky‘s madcap crime caper is a fast-paced thrill ride and a buoyant U-turn following Aronofsky’s previous film, the serious drama The Whale. Led by a typical powerhouse performance by Butler, the movie is a thrilling depiction of a late-’90s NYC filled with dangers lurking around every corner. The film’s impressive ensemble cast includes Liev Schreiber, Regina King and Bad Bunny.

High-stakes gambler Brendan Reilly, aka “Lord Doyle” (Colin Farrell), is lying low in Macau after fleeing financial crimes in the United Kingdom. He gets through his days with booze and the thrill of a good game, until he meets an enigmatic woman named Dao Ming (Fala Chen). Though Ming may hold the key to redemption for Reilly, he is simultaneously being tracked down by an investigator (Tilda Swinton) who wants to force him to pay back his debts.

Ballad of a Small Player is based on the novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne, and features an incredibly committed performance from Farrell, who plays Reilly as a frantic and sleazy loser who is somehow still charming. Director Edward Berger (Conclave) suffuses gorgeous colors and locations in this compelling character-driven crime saga.

This highly anticipated threequel to a true horror classic comes nearly two decades after the second installment, but it is just as sharp and as riveting as the first film. 28 Years Later sees the Rage virus mostly eradicated in Europe — except for the British Isles. Under indefinite quarantine, a safe-haven community subsists on a secluded island. When young Spike (Alfie Williams) ventures to the mainland with his dad, he sees what his world is really missing.

Costarring Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 28 Years Later received rave reviews upon release, with praise for its skillful direction, poignant writing, action and heavy, philosophical themes. The film reunites 28 Days Later’s original director and writer, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, to a gratifying result.

28 Years Later is streaming on Netflix.

Vanessa Kirby plays a woman who is just trying to keep her family together in Night Always Comes. All Lynette (Kirby) had to do to secure the family home for herself, her brother, Kenny (Zack Gottsagen), and their mother, Doreen (Jennifer Jason Leigh), was to produce $25,000.

Instead, Doreen blew that money on a car, which sends Lynette on a desperate quest to raise the money again in just one night. There’s no way that Lynette can pull off that feat legally, and she goes to extreme lengths to make her family secure, even as the consequences of her actions are rapidly catching up with her.

Night Always Comes is streaming on Netflix.

Bordertown features Jennifer Lopez as Lauren Adrian, a reporter who wants to be a war correspondent during the conflict in Iraq. However, Lauren’s editor, George Morgan (Martin Sheen), has something more pressing for her to cover south of the border.

Someone is raping and murdering young Mexican women who were already being exploited at their factory job. Newspaper editor Alfonso Diaz (Antonio Banderas) is sympathetic to Lauren’s mission to uncover the truth. And their best lead is Eva Jimenez (Maya Zapata), the only known woman who encountered the killer and lived.

Bordertown is streaming on Netflix.

Imagine sinking your entire life savings into a tiny apartment only to see it become your own personal Hell. That’s the reality facing Noh Woo-sung (Kang Ha-neul) in the South Korean thriller Wall to Wall. None of Woo-sung’s attempts to secure his future have worked, and his neighbors have turned against him because they think he’s behind the endless noise in the apartment complex.

Someone in the building seems to have it out for Woo-sung as they frame him for the noise and drive him to near insanity. But learning who is pulling his strings will only place Woo-sung in even greater danger.

Wall to Wall is streaming on Netflix.

Donald Ray Pollock, the author of The Devil All the Time, got to narrate the Netflix adaptation of his novel, which weaves through the lives of multiple characters who share unexpected connections. In the late ’50s, Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) is a disturbed young man who has very strong feelings for his childhood friend, Lenora Laferty (Eliza Scanlen). And he’s increasingly angry over the way Reverend Preston Teagardin (Robert Pattinson) grooms Lenora for a sexual relationship.

Arvin is also aware of the sins of his late father, Willard Russell (Bill Skarsgård), which stay with his son as an adult. What Arvin isn’t aware of is that his path is also going to cross with Carl (Jason Clarke) and Sandy Henderson (Riley Keough), a dangerous couple that might like to see him dead.

The Devil All the Time is streaming on Netflix.

The late Euphoria star Angus Cloud had one of his final roles in Your Lucky Day as Sterling, a young man who is badly in need of some luck. Sterling thinks his luck has changed when he overhears a lottery winner, Mr. Laird (Spencer Garrett), bragging about his good fortune. When Sterling demands the ticket at gunpoint, chaos ensues in the convenience store, leaving two gunshot victims and three witnesses: Ana Marlene (Jessica Garza), her boyfriend, Abraham (Elliot Knight), and the store clerk, Amir (Mousa Hussein Kraish).

Sterling offers to split the prize money with the witnesses if they help him cover up his crimes. But there are several flaws in Sterling’s plan, not the least of which is that he’s underestimated what other people are willing to do to get that ticket for themselves. By the time this story concludes, there may not be anyone left to enjoy their fortune.

Your Lucky Day is streaming on Netflix.

For his directorial debut, screenwriter Oren Uziel unravels the story of Shimmer Lake in reverse by revealing that Andy Sikes (Rainn Wilson) is hiding out from his brother, Sheriff Zeke Sikes (Benjamin Walker), after participating in a bank robbery. And before Uziel shows the audience what happened to set up this situation, he teases a mystery that will unfold during the rest of the film.

Andy and his friends, Chris Morrow (Mark Rendall) and Ed Burton (Wyatt Russell), thought they pulled off the heist of their lifetimes. However, this trio may be their own worst enemies, especially when they start turning on each other. They collectively have enough money to do almost anything, but greed may be their downfall.

Shimmer Lake is streaming on Netflix.

Training Day director Antoine Fuqua and True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto teamed up for The Guilty, a remake of a 2018 Dutch thriller. The vast majority of the movie centers on LAPD officer Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) in a single location as the story plays out through his phone calls.

Baylor is stuck on duty answering 911 calls pending a disciplinary hearing when he receives an alarming call from Emily Lighton (Riley Keough). Emily tells Baylor that she’s been abducted, but he has limited resources to find her kidnapper, and most of his fellow officers aren’t going to help him. Baylor’s partner, Sergeant Bill Miller (Ethan Hawke), reluctantly does some of the legwork, but what he finds at Emily’s home is disturbing. And time is running out to locate Emily before another tragedy occurs.

The Guilty is streaming on Netflix.

Director David Fincher never discloses the true name of the title character in The Killer, but Michael Fassbender conveys just how diligent and prepared he is for everything except failure. When the Killer misses his contract, the resources of the high-class criminal underworld are turned against him.

There’s nowhere the Killer can run where he won’t be found, so he resolves to track down his would-be murderers first. That may involve burning some bridges and leaving a few more bodies behind, but it’s nothing he hasn’t done many times before.

The Killer is streaming on Netflix.

The Good Nurse is loosely based on a true story about Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain), a single mother who works at a hospital alongside a new colleague, Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne). Amy finds Charles trustworthy, especially after he agrees to help her keep a secret about her health.

However, Amy starts to suspect her friend when several patients in their hospital die under suspicious circumstances. Since Amy already blew off the police investigating the case, she’ll have to endanger her own life while looking for evidence that Charles is a serial killer.

The Good Nurse is streaming on Netflix.

Gerald’s Game is a different kind of horror thriller than Stephen King usually writes, and director Mike Flanagan draws out a lot of tension for a story where the main character is handcuffed to a bed for almost its entire duration.

Jessie Burlingame (Carla Gugino) only agreed to be bound at the request of her husband, Gerald (Bruce Greenwood). But when Gerald suddenly expires, it leaves Jessie trapped on the bed with little hope for escape. As Jessie’s reality breaks down, she sees a monster she calls Moonlight Man (Carel Struycken), who may have come for her husband’s soul— and her’s as well.

Gerald’s Game is streaming on Netflix.

Amanda (Julia Roberts) and Clay Sandford (Ethan Hawke) may have picked the wrong time to go on vacation in Leave the World Behind. Or perhaps they picked the most opportune time without realizing it. The Sandfords and their children rent a cabin in the woods, but even in their isolation, they recognize some troubling events around them.

Shortly thereafter, the owner of the cabin, G.H. Scott (Mahershala Ali), arrives with his daughter, Ruth (Myha’la), to take shelter as technology seemingly fails everywhere. What started as a family excursion may turn into a trip that the Sandfords may not come home from. It might even turn out to be the end of the world.

Leave the World Behind is streaming on Netflix.