3 exciting Netflix thrillers to watch this week (September 28-October 4)

Published Sep 27, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT After graduating from Marist University with a degree in communications and journalism, Dan Girolamo has over 10 years of experience writing about entertainment and sports. Dan's work can be seen in various publications, including Digital Trends, SportsCasting, and Tom's Guide. Throughout his career, Dan has interviewed several high-profile filmmakers and creatives, including Brendan Fraser, Jamie Lee Curtis, Caitriona Balfe, Frank Grillo, Miranda Cosgrove, Jai Courtney, Chris Columbus and James Cameron. Dan joins How-To Geek as a Senior Editor. When he's not writing about entertainment, Dan is either watching a movie or praying for the New York Knicks to win a championship. It's business as usual for Netflix, as the streamer continues to put out new movies this month. Unabomber, a new thriller about the life of Ted Kaczynski, shot straight to No. 1 on Netflix. I expect that movie to stay at No. 1 for at least the next week. Thrillers continue to be a popular genre on Netflix, and this week, I've picked three more to watch. The first pick is a teen drama from the 1990s based on a famous French novel. Next is a disturbing mystery from an Academy Award-nominated director. Finally, my top pick is a psychological thriller about a famous trial in the aftermath of World War II. 3 Cruel Intentions Rich kids with bad ideas Cruel Intentions is a movie that probably doesn't get made today, though a TV series based on the film aired for one season in 2024. Some might even say it's aged like milk. As for me, I embrace its ridiculousness and campy nature. It's wealthy teens doing unspeakable things. That premise still plays, even if the plot is nonsensical. In the Upper East Side of Manhattan, wealthy teenager Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) loves to seduce women. In need of a new challenge, he makes a sinister bet with his stepsister Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar). If Sebastian successfully courts Annette (Reese Witherspoon), the goody two-shoes daughter of the school's headmaster, he can hook up with Kathryn. If he fails, then Kathryn gets Sebastian's expensive sports car. Sebastian does some truly vile things to increase his chances of sleeping with Annette. Yet when Sebastian finally wins Annette's trust, he has mixed emotions because of the bet. Cruel Intentions is sleazy, but it's wildly entertaining. Again, attractive people doing some heinous actions makes for a good movie. It has thrills, melodrama, and comedy. That sounds like a successful teen movie formula to me. 2 Knock at the Cabin M. Night Shyamalan tackles the apocalypse My mileage with M. Night Shyamalan and his movies varies. I'll watch movies like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs and think to myself, "Is this the most talented director for thrillers?" Then, I'll watch Lady in the Water, The Happening, and After Earth and question what happened to the director I loved. I do think Shyamalan has been back in most people's good graces since 2016, and Knock at the Cabin is a solid movie on his resume. Based on Paul Tremblay's novel, Knock at the Cabin follows Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge), a young couple who embark on a vacation to a cabin in the woods with their daughter Wen (Kristen Cui). The vacation is interrupted by four strangers, one of whom is Leonard (Dave Bautista), who holds the family hostage. Leonard presents Eric and Andrew with a troubling scenario. The apocalypse is coming, and the only way to stop it is to sacrifice someone from the family. However, Eric, Andrew, and Wen must decide who to kill within their family. Time is running out, as several tragedies and disasters happen across the world. If you want to start a debate at a dinner party, bring up the question at the center of Knock at the Cabin. Everyone will have different answers. It's an impossible question to answer, which makes the movie extremely compelling. It's not Shyamalan's best horror, but I do believe it's one of his more thrilling and suspenseful projects. 1 Nuremberg Prestige drama with an insane roster of talent ​​​​​​​ If Nuremberg came out in the 1990s, it would have made $200 million and garnered significant Oscar attention. It has all the ingredients of a Best Picture contender. Nuremberg is based on a true events surrounding World War II, it has a respected writer-director, and it has a stacked cast of acclaimed performers. Yet Nuremberg failed to generate Oscar buzz after its release in 2025. However, I could see it getting a new audience on streaming. Months before the end of World War II, Nazi general Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), who was Hitler's second-in-command, surrenders to the U.S. forces in Austria. Instead of killing the captured Nazi leaders, the Allies push to have them stand trial and face significant punishment for their war crimes. The U.S. sends Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) and an interpreter, Sergeant Howard Triest (Leo Woodall), to evaluate the Nazis before trial. Kelley and Göring initially develop a friendly rapport, but as time goes on, the former learns about the latter's true nature. Nuremberg is a reminder that Crowe once won the Academy Award for Best Actor. It is a magnetic performance that jumps off the screen. Overall, Nuremberg is a disturbing movie about history we should never forget. More movies and shows to check out Are you looking for the next Netflix show to captivate your attention? Stream shows like Breaking Bad and Homeland, which are impossible to stop watching after riveting first episodes. Plus, watch The Blues Brothers and Wayne's World if you're excited about the return of Saturday Night Live. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four