5 Best Movies That Have Just Come To Netflix In January 2026

January 2026 has already seen a range of stellar movies become available for viewing on Netflix - making the matter of which are the best recent additions to the platform one with some notable competition. Over the years, many of the most iconic and beloved movies to have graced the big or small screen have found themselves on Netflix, either as exclusives to the platform, or after their theatrical run came to an end.

Given Netflix's prominence as a streaming service today, it's no surprise that a wealth of films are added to it every month - and the first month of 2026 has proved no different, with January 2026 seeing many great movies become available on Netflix. That said, a few of these movies stand out in terms of their quality and deserved reputations.

District 9

District 9 is a sci-fi classic that has come to Netflix as of January 1, 2026. Set up as a mock documentary - a format that allows it to depict fake interviews alongside security camera footage and news broadcasts - District 9 is a fascinating exploration of what the term humanity means, and how this theme can be analysed through the sci-fi lens.

While sci-fi is often guilty of having its more empathizable or central alien characters effectively look almost exactly like humans with some small aesthetic tweaks, District 9 does the exact opposite, with its central alien species being almost bug or squid-like in appearance, and its story revolving around the mistreatment of these characters, which is partially excused in-universe by many because of said appearance.

However, these aliens are shown acting far more humanely than the vast majority of the human characters in the movie, despite being persecuted by humanity, and despite facing major threats from government contractors who experiment on them. In this sense, the movie tackles several of sci-fi's most potent topics in striking ways - all while being a gripping action sci-fi in its own right.

Green Room

While Green Room originally released a decade ago now, the 2016 movie is just as tense and gripping all these years later, earning its R rating throughout its story, and making it a must-watch for fans of dark horror thrillers.

Green Room's narrative revolves around a punk rock band getting a gig at a venue they know little about, only to discover it's a neo-Nazi bar - and its patrons are now out for the group's blood in order to deal with the final witnesses of a violent crime. As such, the story quickly unfolds into increasing levels of action and violence, with its frenetic pace and relentless nature netting it positive reviews despite its lower box office results.

Dawn Of The Dead

As one of the most famous zombie movies of all time - and a film that's certainly up there when it comes to outright the most well-known movies altogether - Dawn of the Dead getting a remake was perhaps par for the course, given the original film initially debuted in 1978, and depicted one of the most lastingly notable zombie outbreak stories of all time.

However, what was less par for the course is that its 2004 remake would also resonate with viewers, especially given the challenges the film faced living up to the original.

2004's Dawn of the Dead is directed by Zack Snyder and follows a screenplay by James Gunn, making it a fascinating collaboration between two creatives who would later become best known for their separate work in DC's superhero movie realm. With this in mind, it's no surprise it combines the talents both have when it comes to building action - or that Snyder's 2021 movie Army of the Dead approaches the concept of a zombie movie in much the same way.

Hellboy

January 1st brought one of the most underrated comic book movies of all time to Netflix, as the original 2004 adaptation of Hellboy has been on the platform since the very start of the month. Though the 2019 Hellboy saw a more divisive reception, the 2004 installment is still regarded as both a solid adaptation of the comic source material it draws from, and of the superhero and paranormal genres more broadly speaking.

Hellboy centers around the titular character of the same name, who is adopted by an allied scientist during World War 2, and who becomes a key figure in the United States' Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, alongside several notable allies who also become central characters in the film's story.

Hellboy is able to be a comic book movie imbued with action and style while also providing a far more humanizing depiction of many supernatural and mythological creatures than many tend to get, and while conveying an endearing message that no one is born evil, and that the choice to fight for what is right and good is always available to anyone who chooses it.

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave adapts the memoir of the real-life Solomon Northrup - which was originally recorded in 1853 - whose life in New York is ripped away from him by two men who decide to drug him and ship him to New Orleans as a slave, leading to many years of forced servitude.

The quality and significance of the film - especially when it comes to the portrayal of Northrup by leading man Chiwetel Ejiofor - saw the film be selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2023.

12 Years A Slave has also rightfully earned an array of awards for its devastating but important look into slavery and the stories around it that are all too often overlooked. As such, while it's a more somber watch, the 2013 movie is well worth watching for a multitude of reasons, with its release on Netflix hopefully allowing more people who haven't seen the film to experience it.