4 new Netflix movies we can’t wait to watch in 2026

As the calendar inches closer to 2026, Netflix subscribers everywhere are already feeling that familiar mix of anticipation and impatience. We're talking about the kind that comes from knowing there are incredible stories just around the corner, waiting to pull us into new worlds, make us laugh until our sides hurt, or leave us on the edge of our seats.

In the new year, the streaming giant will be releasing a bunch of new movies that you're going to want to check out. However, with so many exciting titles set to drop, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together a list of four new Netflix films confirmed for release in 2026 that we can’t wait to see and think you’ll love too.

People We Meet on Vacation

• Release date: Jan. 9, 2026
• Cast: Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Lukas Gage, Jameela Jamil, Alan Ruck, Molly Shannon

Book-to-film adaptations are always a tricky business. On one hand, they offer the chance to bring beloved characters and stories to life in a whole new way. On the other hand, they come with a high bar of expectation. Fans already have their own imaginations, their own voices for the characters, and their own emotional connections to the story. One wrong casting choice, a poorly executed plot, or even a subtle shift in tone can leave fans disappointed rather than delighted.

Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation is stepping into this delicate balancing act, and we're hoping it strikes the perfect chord. Adapted from Emily Henry's romance novel of the same name, the story follows Poppy, a free-spirited adventurer, and Alex, a person who values stability and careful planning.

They've been best friends for a decade, spending every summer vacation together despite living in different cities. But when old tensions and unspoken feelings surface, they start to question whether their bond is purely platonic or if the perfect romantic match has been right in front of them all along.

The Rip

• Release date: Jan. 16, 2026
• Cast: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno

Calling all action lovers! Netflix is set to release The Rip in early 2026, an action thriller starring lifelong friends Affleck and Damon. The movie's plot revolves around a group of Miami police officers who uncover millions of dollars hidden in a rundown stash house. But this discovery quickly turns their world upside down as trust fractures, danger closes in, and loyalty is pushed to its breaking point.

This is just one of many films that Affleck and Damon have collaborated on over the years. We're already imagining all the intense action sequences that we'll have us glued to our screens. This definitely isn't a movie you want to miss out on!

Heartstopper Forever

• Release year: 2026
• Cast: Joe Locke and Kit Connor

Netflix is known for having some of the best teen shows, and Heartstopper is one of its brightest examples. However, the next time we see Nick and Charlie, it won’t be in a fourth season of the series. Instead, fans can look forward to a feature-length film that will serve as the show’s finale. The upcoming Netflix movie titled Heartstopper Forever adapts the final volume of Alice Oseman’s graphic novels and wraps up their story.

Nick and Charlie are closer than ever, but with Nick heading off to university and Charlie exploring his newfound independence at school, the pressures of a long-distance relationship start to take their toll. Uncertainty creeps in, putting their bond to its toughest test yet. At the same time, their friends are dealing with their own experiences of love and friendship.

72 Hours

• Release year: 2026
• Cast: Kevin Hart, Mason Gooding, Marcello Hernández, Kam Patterson, Zach Cherry, Ben Marshall, Teyana Taylor

Hart isn’t just funny. He’s one of the funniest people alive. Whether he’s stealing the spotlight in a blockbuster comedy or delivering rapid-fire stand-up jokes on stage, he brings an energy that’s impossible to resist. Fans know that whenever he signs onto a new project, it’s guaranteed to be loud, outrageous, and downright entertaining, which is exactly why people can’t wait to see what he does next.

In 2026, we'll see him in the Netflix comedy film, 72 Hours, where he plays a 40-year-old executive who gets accidentally roped into a chaotic three-day bachelor party with a group of twentysomethings after he’s mistakenly added to their group chat. Based on this wild plot, we can already tell that audiences will be in for nonstop laughs.

Don't forget to add these movies to your watchlist!