New Netflix movies: the biggest films to stream in August 2023

New Netflix movies join the streaming giant’s library every single week. As such, you need somewhere to go and read all about them, including whether they’re worth streaming.

That’s where TechRadar’s entertainment experts come in. Below, you’ll find a round-up of all the new movies to debut on Netflix since mid-June. That includes Netflix Originals and licensed films, such as 2009’s Star Trek reboot. Hey, there’s a reason why Netflix is considered one of the best streaming services around, and it’s got nothing to do with its price increases.

You’ll also find information, release dates, and trailers for forthcoming Netflix flicks, too, in a section further down this page. And, if you’re looking for even more top-tier Netflix content to watch, our best Netflix movies and best Netflix shows are worth exploring. For now, though, these are the new Netflix films to stream when you’ve got a free evening or two.

New Netflix movies: August 2023

The Monkey King

Release date: August 18

Inspired by a popular Chinese tale, The Monkey King follows the, well, titular monkey protagonist and his magical staff as they battle hordes of demons, dragons, and even Gods. Oh, and the monkey’s own self-importance. Because it’s not a action-style film if there isn’t an inner struggle at the heart of it.

Jimmy O Yang, Stephanie Hsu, BD Wong, and Andrew Lang are among the starry cast of this animated fantasy-comedy family movie, which currently holds a 62% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes among critics. It’s unclear if general audiences will enjoy what it has to offer but, hey, it’ll keep the kids quiet for a bit.

Heart of Stone

Release date: August 11

With her time as Wonder Woman seemingly coming to an end in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), Gal Gadot needs a new headline-making film franchise to lead.

Her newest film, Heart of Stone, could kick off that movie series. In it, Gadot plays Rachel Stone, a skilled agent who works for the Charter, a covert organization that uses a powerful AI device called the Heart to keep the peace. However, when a mysterious hacker called Keya (Alia Bhatt) threatens the Charter and the safety of the world, it’s up to Stone to save the day.

So far, Heart of Stone has been panned by critics. It might have been Netflix’s most popular movie of the week, but its 29% Rotten Tomatoes shows it’s done little to thrill audiences. Still, if you’re interested in finding out more about how it explores the positives and negatives of AI, our exclusive chat with its cast and director is worth reading.

The Fast & Furious film franchise

Release date: August 1

One of the world’s biggest movie franchises has put pedal to the metal and joined Netflix’s film library. The Fast & Furious series, which has raced its way to an eye-watering $7.47 billion globally – across 10 movies, that is – has proven to be incredibly popular since it began in 2001. 

Sure, it’s bent the laws of physics on numerous occasions and some of its more iconic content have becomes memes at this point – “We’re family”, anyone? – but it’s nonetheless a highly entertaining, rip-roaring franchise that deserves respect for its longevity and enduring appeal.

The first five Fast & Furious films are now available to stream on Netflix US, Fast 9 can be watched on Netflix UK, and various Fast flicks can be viewed via Binge in Australia. While you’re here, read up on how to watch the Fast & Furious movies in order and check out our Fast & Furious movies ranked piece.

Lost in Translation

Release date: August 1 (available on Binge in Australia, and available to rent or buy on PVOD platforms in the UK)

It’s hard to believe that Lost in Translation is 20 years old in 2023, but this Sofia Coppola-directed comedy-drama is seemingly as ageless as its lead actor in Bill Murray.

The film sees the legendary star play Bob Harris, a fading movie star who strikes up an unlikely friendship with college graduate Charlotte (ex-Marvel star Scarlett Johansson) in Tokyo, Japan.

A film that explores alienation, cultural displacement, existentialism, and the power of human connection in amusing and dramatic ways, Lost in Translation is an unmissable flick for all film fans.

New Netflix movies: July 2023

Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir

Release date: July 28

An adaptation of the French animated series of the same name, Miraculous: Ladybug and Cat Noir: The Movie follows two Paris-based teens – Marinette and Adrien – who transform into their superhero aliases to protect the French capital from all manner of supervillains.

This movie adaptation isn’t likely to make it onto our best Netflix films list. Reviews have been mixed for this one, with some calling it an enjoyable family-friendly flick and others suggesting it’s nothing more than a trope-laden movie that’ll only keep your kids quiet for a couple of hours. But hey, when have children ever cared about what critics think? Stick it on your new Netflix movies watchlist and see what you think for yourself.

They Cloned Tyrone

Release date: July 21

Don’t let They Cloned Tyrone‘s supposedly poor performance cloud your judgement. The genre-bending sci-fi flick launched on the same day as the cultural phenomenon known as Barbenheimer, so its viewing figures weren’t as high as you might have initially expected.

In short, though: it’s a absolutely brilliant movie. To discuss its plot at length is to spoil its biggest surprises, but here’s a brief synopsis, courtesy of Netflix, to give you a flavor of what to expect: “A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (Jamie Foxx, John Boyega, and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper.” 

It’s been critically acclaimed by those who have seen it, and we can vouch for the validity of those extremely positive reviews. We thoroughly enjoyed what it has to offer, while our exclusive chat with John Boyega is well worth reading for a peak behind the curtain on its production. Once you’re watched it, be sure to read our ending explainer on They Cloned Tyrone for Boyega’s thoughts on its shock ending.

Bird Box Barcelona

Release date: July 14

A spin-off/prequel to Bird Box, Netflix’s massive 2018 horror-drama movie hit, Bird Box Barcelona is a Spanish-language flick that explores the origins of the cataclysmic event that pushed humanity to the brink of extinction.

Mario Casas plays Sebastian, a father of one who must navigate his own survival through the desolate streets of the Catalonian city amid the unprecedented catastrophic event.

We expected this one to be as shocking and suspenseful as the Sandra Bullock-starring original. Based on its 51% critical and 30% audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, though, Bird Box Barcelona isn’t one of those new Netflix movies worth streaming.

The Out-Laws

Release date: July 7

This action-comedy film, which stars Pierce Brosnan and Adam Devine, will aim to deliver more thrills and jokes than its similarly positioned predecessors.

Devine plays Owen Browning, a bank manager who’s finally set to meet his fiance Parker’s (Nina Dobrev) parents. However, when Owen’s bank is held up by the infamous Ghost Bandits gang during his wedding week, he believes his future in-laws  Billy and Lily McDermott (Brosnan and Ellen Barkin), who have just arrived in town, are responsible for the heist.

File The Out-Laws under “looks fairly generic” for now. But hey, considering how popular other by-the-books Netflix films, such as Murder Mystery 2, have been this year, this could end up doing similarly well. Based on its 20% critical and 36% audience Rotten Tomatoes scores, though, this is another film you’ll want to evade.

Jumanji

Release date: July 1 (available on Paramount Plus in Australia, and to rent or buy on PVOD platforms in the UK)

Robin Williams was one of the world’s most beloved actors who elevated every movie he was in, including this 1995 fantasy comedy adventure.

In Jumanji, Williams portrays the aged-up version of Alan Parrish, a kid who’s sucked (and subsequently trapped) in Jumanji, a supernatural board game, in 1969. When two new kids on the block – Judy and Peter Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce) – discover the same table top game 26 years later, they inadvertently rescue Alan from his fantastical but dangerous prison. Oh, and they let a bunch of jungle-based hazards loose on the small US town of Brantford. Oops.

Critics weren’t too kind to Jumanji upon its initial release but, bolstered by Williams’ undeniable star power, it became the 10th highest-grossing movie of 1995. Numerous TV and movie sequels have followed since, but this Williams-starring flick will always be the best entry in the franchise for us.

Star Trek (2009)

Release date: July 1 (available on Paramount Plus in Australia and the UK)

The legendary sci-fi franchise known as Star Trek might have found a permanent home on Paramount Plus these days. However, some of its many films and TV shows occasionally beam themselves up to other streaming platforms, such as Prime Video.

Now, two of the most recent Star Trek movies, including this 2009 JJ Abrams-directed reboot, aim to live long and prosper on Netflix. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto play a new versions of James T. Kirk and Spock, who take charge of the USS Enterprise in a bid to stop the time-traveling Romulan called Nero (Eric Bana) from destroying the United Federation of Planets.

A soaring, modern take on the beloved series, 2009’s Star Trek is an absolute must-see for long time Trekkies and casual viewers alike. Its sequel – 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness – is also available to stream.

New Netflix movies: June 2023

Nimona

Release date: June 30

This animated hit stars The Peripheral‘s Chloe Grace Moretz and Star Wars alumnus Riz Ahmed, and aims to follow in the footsteps of superb Netflix animated offerings like Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and The Sea Beast.

Ahmed plays Ballister Boldheart, a knight in a futuristic medieval kingdom, who’s framed for a crime he didn’t commit. The only person who can prove his innocence is Nimona (Grace Moretz), a shapeshifter who Boldheart has been trained from birth to kill. Cue a blurring of the lines between what’s considered good and what’s seen as being bad in this classic buddy cop-style flick.

By all accounts, it’s another fantastic animated Netflix movie that’s unapologetically queer, fun, action-packed, heartfelt in equal measure. Stick it on your new Netflix movies watchlist.

Run Rabbit Run

Release date: June 28

Sarah Snook (Succession) stars in this Australian psychological horror flick, which initially gave us Hereditary and Midsommar vibes, but falls short of truly terrifying or unsettling us like those similarly positioned flicks.

So, what’s Run Rabbit Run about? It follows fertility doctor and mom Sarah (Snook) and her daughter Mia (Lily LaTorre), who live alone in a home in rural Australia. After the inquisitive Mia asks Sarah what happened to Alice, Sarah’s sister, Sarah reveals the rabbit-loving Alice went missing when she was seven – the same age Mia, who also has a fondness of rabbits, is now. A messy, by-the-numbers thriller that, well, doesn’t exactly thrill at all.

The Perfect Find

Release date: June 23

Looking for a soppy new rom-com to stream during the summer (or winter, if you’re based in the Southern Hemisphere) months? The Perfect Find will be, well, the perfect flick for you.

Gabrielle Union stars as Jenna, a fashion designer whose world comes crashing down after she’s fired from her current job. Hitting the comeback trail to prove her worth, Jenna’s career revival hits a snag when she falls for her new, younger co-worker Eric (Keith Powers), who happens to be her new boss’ son. Yikes.

With its respectable 69% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Perfect Find isn’t as generic or below-par as we’d expected. Well, if you don’t look at its 55% audience rating, anyway…

Release date: June 16

Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is back, ladies and gentlemen. Everyone’s favorite black ops merc returns with a bang in Extraction 2, which is set nine months after Rake cheated death in the film’s 2020 predecessor. This time around, he’s tasked with liberating a Georgian gangster’s abused family from a prison.

Like Extraction, though, things won’t be made easy for Rake, as he’s chased down, set on fire, shot at, and stabbed by countless thugs – all the while trying to get a sense of closure on his tragic past. Expect character-rich moments and explosive action to be the themes of the day, then. Read our Extraction 2 review for our thoughts on the action-heavy sequel, too.

Once you’re done streaming it, read our exclusive chats with director Sam Hargrave to find out why Extraction 2‘s ambitious, action-packed one-shot sequence took so long to film. Then, read up on how that big cameo came to be (and why Marvel had a big hand in it), as well as our in-depth look at how its massive ‘oner’ was brought to life.

New Netflix movies: what’s coming in 2023?

Release date: August 18

Inspired by a popular Chinese tale, The Monkey King follows the, well, titular monkey protagonist and his magical staff as they battle hordes of demons, dragons, and even Gods. Oh, and the monkey’s own self-importance. Because it’s not a action-style film if there isn’t an inner struggle at the heart of it.

Jimmy O Yang, Stephanie Hsu, BD Wong, and Andrew Lang are among the starry cast of this animated fantasy-comedy family movie, which currently holds a 62% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes among critics. It’s unclear if general audiences will enjoy what it has to offer but, hey, it’ll keep the kids quiet for a bit.

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah

Release date: August 25

Based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s young adult (YA) novel of the same name, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah aims to be Netflix’s next comedy-drama film hit.

Sunny Sandler and Samantha Lorraine play Stacy and Lydia, long-time friends who have a major falling out when popular schoolboy Andy (Dylan Hoffman) comes between them. Not only that, but the breakdown in their friendship threatens the duo’s perfectly planned dual Bat Mitzvah.

With Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, and Luis Guzman among its supporting cast, this YA flick could be a surprise win for Netflix in late August. Its trailer makes out that it’ll be worth watching, but will it be one of the best new Netflix movies of 2023? We’re not sure.

Choose Love

Release date: August 31

Netflix has dabbled in the choose-your-own-adventure (CYOA) genre before, most notably with its interactive Black Mirror: Bandersnatch special. Now, the streaming giant is attempting to achieve similar success with Choose Love, a CYOA rom-com flick that’s sure to appeal to many of a romantic disposition.

Laura Marano stars as Cami Conway, a successful and loved-up woman who seems to have it all. However, when Cami starts to question whether she sees her long-term future with current beau Paul, viewers have the opportunity to ensure she gets her happily ever after with her significant other, or one of her two exes: British rock star Rex or first love Jack.

A film that won’t appeal to Netflix’s whole fanbase, but we suspect it’ll draw in a big enough crowd to be worth the experiment.

Love At First Sight

Release date: September 15

From the producers behind Netflix’s popular movie series To All The Boys I Loved Before, this rom-com flick (which is based on the book of the same name) could be the streamer’s next big tween movie hit.

It stars Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy as Hadley and Oliver, whose chance encounter sees sparks fly after they bump into one another at JFK airport. The duo enjoy a whirlwind ‘first date’ on their flight to Heathrow, but it seems their chance of love passes them by after they go their separate ways in London. Can Oliver and Hadley find each other again in the bustling UK capital and get their happy ending?

General audiences can expect plenty of stock and schlocky rom-com tropes from this one. Given how popular To All The Boys I Loved Before proved to be, though, maybe Love At First Sight will perform similarly well for Netflix.

El Conde

Release date: September 15

If you avoid rom-coms like the plague, this upcoming Chile-developed black comedy horror film might interest you instead.

A satirical take on 20th century Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, El Conde depicts the nation’s former tyrannical leader as a 250-year-old vampire who’s tired of life on Earth. However, when an unexpected relationship reignites his zest for life, he finds a new purpose through counterrevolution.

El Conde will premier at the 80th Venice Film Festival later this year before making its worldwide debut on Netflix in mid-September. One for fans of foreign language flicks to keep an eye on.

Spy Kids: Armageddon

Release date: September 22

A reboot of the beloved early 21st century spy-comedy film series, Spy Kids: Armageddon sees a new generation of young heroes step up to become the saviors of the world.

To be fair, it’s their fault that the globe finds itself in a mess anyway. When the children of the world’s greatest spies unknowingly help a powerful game developer to unleash a virus that grants him access to every technological device, they’re forced to assume the spy mantle themselves and save the day. No pressure, gang.

We don’t think Spy Kids: Armageddon will be Netflix’s next major hit, but it should have enough about it to keep your own kids quiet for a couple of hours.

Reptile

Release date: October 6

This fascinating crime thriller will look to up Netflix’s game in the subversive storytelling department when it arrives in October. Reptile’s plot synopsis reads as follows: “Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems, and by doing so dismantles the illusions in his own life.”

Benicio del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, Domenick Lombardozzi, and Eric Bogosian are among its talented cast. Grant Singer makes his feature film directorial debut with Reptile after helming numerous music videos for artists including The Weeknd, Sam Smith, and Taylor Swift. Singer, Del Toro, and Benjamin Brewer penned its screenplay.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Release date: December 15

Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland, the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. This long-awaited sequel is being helmed by Flushed Away director Sam Fell.

Maestro

Release date: December 20 (in select theaters from November 24)

Produced by Todd Phillips, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and leading man Bradley Cooper (who also directs and stars in the film), Maestro centers on the life and legacy of West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein. Judging by the prosthetics used to transform Cooper into the much older Bernstein, we expect this entry in our new Netflix movies list to be a shoo-in for next year’s Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar (release date depending). 

For those interested, here’s Maestro‘s story synopsis: “Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.  A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.”

Rebel Moon

Release date: December 22

Director Zack Snyder returns to Netflix this year with Rebel Moon, an epic space opera reportedly inspired by both Star Wars and Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. The film’s official synopsis reads as follows: “A peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy is threatened by the armies of a tyrannical regent named Balisarius. The desperate civilians dispatch Kora, a young woman who has a mysterious past to seek out warriors from nearby planets to help them challenge the regent.”

Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Ray Fisher, Djimon Hounsou, Jena Malone, Corey Stoll, Ed Skrein, and Anthony Hopkins are all confirmed to star, which we expect will enjoy a limited theatrical release before it lands on Netflix.

The Mothership

Release date: TBA (2023 confirmed)

A sci-fi adventure, The Mothership follows Sara Morse (Halle Berry) one year after her husband (Omari Hardwick) mysteriously vanishes from their rural farm. When she discovers a strange, extraterrestrial object underneath their home, Sara and her kids embark on a race to find their husband, father, and – most importantly – the truth. Sounds ominous. 

For more Netflix-based coverage, read our best Netflix documentaries guide. Alternatively, find out how to sign up to Netflix or get the lowdown on whether it’s worth cancelling your Netflix subscription.

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