10 Best New Netflix Documentaries of 2026 (So Far)

As we pass the first quarter of 2026, Netflix has already released a ton of outstanding and acclaimed documentaries. This includes a decades-in-the-making nature documentary from David Attenborough, chilling true crime explorations, and inspiring sports stories. There’s something for everyone. In this post, we walk you through 10 of the best so far. 

Dynasty: The Murdochs

At its core, Dynasty: The Murdochs asks a simple question: which billionaire child of global media empire owner Rupert Murdoch will seize control of even more billions? It’s a story that feels a whole lot like HBO’s Succession — in fact, Succession writer Jesse Armstrong was inspired by the Murdoch dynasty. 

From the creative team behind Harry & Meghan, including director Liz Garbus, this four-part series draws on thousands of never-before-seen private documents, emails, and text messages, chronicling Rupert Murdoch’s final attempts to secure his legacy while navigating the cutthroat internal politics of a family torn apart by power. It’s a cutthroat succession battle, depicted in an intense, completely engrossing series. 

The Plastic Detox

Netflix’s The Plastic Detox explores the profound and inherently dangerous impact of plastic-related chemicals on human health and, ultimately, fertility. The 90-minute documentary film serves as an ideal conversation starter, sparking a real call to action regarding environmental issues.

Produced by an Academy Award-winning team, the film follows six couples who reduce plastic usage for three months in a bid to see if it improves their ability to conceive. Ultimately, the experiment was a success, showing that a 3-month reduction in plastic use was directly linked to genuine health benefits, such as reduced eczema, improved sleep, and a higher rate of successful pregnancies. 

The Plastic Detox will have you evaluate your lifestyle and understand just how much microplastics you encounter on a daily basis. 

Being Gordon Ramsay

World-renowned chef and media personality Gordon Ramsay needs no introduction. Between Kitchen Nightmares, Hotel Hell, and Hell’s Kitchen, he’s probably the most famous celebrity chef on the planet. Known for his strong, steadfast personality, he’s always happy to dish out criticisms and put budding chefs in their places. But now, he’s on a business venture of his own, the opening of five culinary experiences in one of London’s tallest buildings, and expectations are through the roof. “22 Bishopsgate is the most ambitious project I’ve ever opened in my life,” Ramsay says. 

This 6-part documentary pits Ramsay in an unusual position; he’s got a 6-month window for his restaurant empire to take shape. Fans are used to seeing him at the top of the pile. Now, he’s the one under all the pressure. The tables have turned. Can he deliver? 

The answer is yes, clearly, given the series has reportedly picked up a season 2 renewal. 

Queen of Chess

The game of chess already has a rich history at Netflix thanks to 2020 miniseries The Queen’s Gambit. But that was pure fiction. Documentary Queen of Chess chronicles the journey of a Hungarian girl and chess prodigy, Judit Polgár, who went face-to-face with some of the most celebrated chess players ever, including Garry Kasparov. Her legacy in the game is immense, being regarded as the single greatest female chess player of all-time. How did she reach such heights? This documentary pulls back the curtain, not only exploring her successes, but also how she had to face her controlling father. 

If you watch Queen of Chess and still can’t get enough, another new chess-related documentary is UNTOD: Chess Mates, which dives into the scandal between elite chess players Magnus Carlsen, who was then world champion, and Hans Niemann. The film revisits the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, and the myriad controversies that surrounded it, specifically the allegations of cheating following Carlsen’s withdrawal from the tournament and the immense social media backlash that followed. 

Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere

Louis Theroux has created over 50 documentaries in his extensive career, notably through a long-standing collaboration with the BBC. However, he dropped his newest feature-length doc, Inside the Manosphere, as a Netflix Original for the first time (although he’s produced a number of titles). He tackles the Manosphere, a cult-like online culture synonymous with racism, misogyny, and adult content. 

Directed by Adrian Choa (Vice Life Hacks with Oobah Butler), the film sees Theroux head to Miami to Marbella, where he immerses himself in the world of extreme online influencers and content creators who are redefining ‘modern masculinity’. In true Theroux style, he examines the ideologies behind it, and interviews the women who support these views. 

Ratings for the film were mixed, but nevertheless, it remains another must-watch addition to Theroux’s ever-growing roster. We hope he chooses Netflix for whatever his next foray might be.

A Friend, A Murderer

One of the most powerful Netflix documentaries of the year so far, A Friend, A Murderer tells the chilling story of how a Danish town’s close-knit community spiraled into an epicenter of distrust and fear following assaults, kidnapping, and murder. Each case took place between 2016 and 2023. When the perpetrator was ultimately caught, the friendship group Amanda, Nichlas and Kiri learn that they were close to them. How did they not notice? 

The series is told over three episodes, with each installment covering the perspective of one of the murderer’s friends. It features interviews with a local priest, a volunteer search coordinator, a journalist, and the founder of a Danish Facebook group — each of whom bring specific accounts to build a picture around the perpetrator. While a short docu-series, this is the type of story that’ll have you unwittingly evaluating your own friends. 

Ronaldinho: The One and Only

Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho is one of the most decorated players of all-time. He began his career at Brazilian club Grêmio before getting his big move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2001. He would subsequently move to Barcelona, playing alongside Lionel Messi, where he grew into a footballing legend and one of the faces of football at the time. He won the Champions League, La Liga, and took home a Ballon d’Or. His international career was just as esteemed, too. With Brazil, he won the FIFA World Cup (2002), Copa América (1999), and FIFA Confederations Cup (2005). All in all, not many players come close to his level of esteem. 

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Netflix has released a 3-episode limited series exploring Ronaldinho’s life and career. It’s the first time that the man himself has spoken out about his career, featuring exclusive access to Ronaldinho’s private life and never-before-seen archival footage. It also contains interviews and testimonials from former teammates and friends Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., Roberto Carlos, Carles Puyol, and Galvão Bueno.

With the next World Cup around the corner, Ronaldinho: The One and Only is the perfect documentary to get you in the mood.

The Investigation of Lucy Letby

Neonatal nurse Lucy Letby is the most prolific child serial killer in UK history. Her story is easily up there with the most harrowing, distressing, and downright unthinkable cases in serial killer history. Letby was a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Between 2015 and 2016, she murdered seven infants — for which she was convicted and sentenced to 15 whole-life jail sentences. She was also convicted of the attempted murder of several other children. 

The story of Letby’s crimes has already been documented several times before in different documentaries, including an episode of the BBC’s Panorama. Netflix’s feature-length doc-film, The Investigation of Lucy Letby, is the most up-to-date exploration of the case. It features previously unseen police body-cam footage. It also includes police interviews and covers the immense social media reaction to the case, and more. The film is directed by Dominic Sivyer (The Masked Scammer) and produced by Caroline Short, Carla Wright, and Ian Ramsey. 

A Gorilla Story: Told By David Attenborough

Almost 50 years ago, in 1978, Sir David Attenborough encountered a baby mountain gorilla named Pablo in Life on Earth. Pablo grew up to be a top Silverback. What happened to Pablo and his family? Now, spanning generations of the Pablo Group, Netflix takes viewers back to Rwanda, where it all started, to catch up with the pack. 

A Gorilla Story is a remarkable and extraordinary achievement. It’s a celebration of conservation and hope, blending both archival and modern footage to tell is generation-spanning saga. 

The 76-minute film is helmed by Oscar-winning James Reed, best known for his work on My Octopus Teacher, who works alongside co-director Callum Webster. Alastair Fothergill (Life on Our Planet) is also a producer. 

The Dinosaurs

From executive producer Steven Spielberg and the team behind Our Planet, 4 documentary series The Dinosaurs set a new gold standard for nature documentaries. Narrated by Hollywood legend Morgan Freeman, the series traces the 165-million-year evolution of dinosaurs using incredible next-generation CGI. Technology has come a long way since the days of Prehistoric Park, that’s for sure. 

Overall, The Dinosaurs offers a simplified history of the Mesozoic Era. If you want something more in-depth, this isn’t it. However, The Dinosaurs is visually perhaps the most eye-catching depiction of the dinosaurs ever put to screen. It’s worth watching just for the breathtaking visuals. 

Since its debut in March 2026, The Dinosaurs still holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. 

Honorable mentions

• The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel — An in-depth look at the history of legendary rock band The Red Hot Chili Peppers, chronicling their formative years and the influence of the late, great original guitarist Hillel Slovak.

• Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart — In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her bed, and fought to survive as her family ardently searched for her. In this documentary film, she shares her story. 

• The TikTok Killer — Set in Spain, this documentary explores the case of Esther Estepa, a 42-year-old woman who disappeared after meeting up with a social media content creator.  

• Trust Me: The False Prophet— Cult expert Christine Marie and her husband, videographer Tolga Katas, infiltrate a polygamist sect and expose the crimes of Warren Jeffs’ self-proclaimed heir.

• Noah Kahan: Out of Body — Singer Noah Kahan, known for his international hit Stick Season, speaks candidly about his life struggles, notably his eating disorder that saw him struggle massively with his body image. 

What Netflix Documentaries are coming soon?

Looking ahead, Netflix has a very exciting slate of new documentaries on the horizon. Titles include more UNTOLD sports series, covering stories in the world of football in the UK, such as Jamie Vardy’s zero-to-hero career and Liverpool’s legendary Champions League comeback in 2005. 

Also on the way in May 2026 is The Crash, a documentary from director Gareth Johnson (The Body Next Door), which recounts the events in which a car carrying three young adults slammed into a brick building at 100 miles per hour, killing two and leaving one survivor.

What’s been your favorite new documentary on Netflix in 2026? Tell us in the comments down below!