As always, the start of a new month means that streaming services everywhere are changing up their deep lineups of movies and TV shows. One of the most impressive slates of projects hitting a platform this month comes from Netflix. Their September additions include a few legitimate modern classics, underrated hidden gems from the past few decades, and the kind of original content that is often the backbone of Netflix’s success. There are a bunch of movies and TV shows arriving in September that are worth a recommendation, so narrowing it down to just a handful was a difficult task. In the end, these recommendations are ideal for featuring actors who are about to appear in big movies this year, films that fit right in as spooky season is upon us, and sophomore seasons for two Netflix original shows that are spinoffs of successful projects of their own.
There’s an underrated Halle Berry film, the first entry of a fun franchise that got its sequel earlier this year, a great horror sequel, and two Netflix original series among these recommendations. Regardless of what you pick from these options, September looks like it’ll be a great time to have a Netflix subscription.
When Gothika was initially released, it came at a time when Halle Berry was on a hot streak. She had recently won an Academy Award for Monster’s Ball and starred as Storm in X-Men, so this weird psychological horror project ended up as a box office success. Unfortunately, reviews weren’t strong, and it has caused Gothika to be forgotten over the years. The story sees Berry play a psychiatrist who, after a car accident, wakes up as a patient at the mental institution where she works and learns that she has been accused of murdering her husband.
While Gothika only sits at 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s rather divisive, as even famed critic Roger Ebert gave it three out of four stars. The audience score is higher, with praise going towards Berry’s performance. The film also features an intriguing supporting cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. as her new psychiatrist. It’s the perfect chance to see a different kind of Downey Jr. performance before he plays Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Gothika hits Netflix on September 1st.
Guy Ritchie’s signature brand of crime comedy was at the forefront of his underrated 2019 film, The Gentlemen. The film had a loaded cast led by Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Jeremy Strong, and more, and its success led to a spinoff television series. The Gentlemen sees Theo James in the lead role as Eddie Horniman, a former Army captain who inherits the title of 13th Duke of Halstead from his dad, as well as his connections to the Glass Crime Syndicate. The show was a hit, and Season 2 has been highly anticipated.
The Gentlemen Season 2 arrives on September 3rd to continue the story of Eddie and those around him. Kaya Scodelario stole the show in Season 1 and returns alongside Joely Richardson, Daniel Ings, and more. The season is set to see Eddie go all in on the drug business now that he’s seemingly done with the threat of Stanley Johnson. Not too much else is known about the plot, though the series has already been renewed for a third season.
2019’s Ready or Not is one of the most fun horror comedies in recent memory. The film follows Grace (Samara Weaving) as she marries into a wealthy family and is told she must partake in a game after the wedding ceremony. When she pulls the card to play hide-and-seek, she learns that the family will hunt and kill her as part of a satanic ritual. The fight for survival turns Grace into one of the best modern horror final girls.
The directorial duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who also helmed Scream VI and Abigail, broke out with Ready or Not and haven’t looked back. Weaving delivers a tremendous performance as Grace, while the supporting cast is a blast. The film surprised many by getting a 2026 sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which ups the stakes and is even wilder than the original. Ready or Not comes to Netflix on September 1st, and the sequel is available on Hulu.
As noted, with September comes Halloween vibes, which means it’s time to start watching horror movies. Smile arrived in 2022 and became a sensation due to its viral marketing campaign and strong critical reviews. Smile 2 was released in 2024 and is a superior sequel that takes the premise of the first film and ups the ante in a big way. The story starts when a therapist witnesses a suicide and is then cursed with supernatural visions that include people eerily smiling at her, while the sequel sees that same thing happen to a pop star.
Naomi Scott gives one of the best performances ever in a horror movie as pop star Skye Riley, which makes every scene in Smile 2 so good. That terrified performance, added to the already unsettling nature of the film, makes for a combo that becomes must-see. On September 3rd, you’ll be able to find Smile 2, one of the best horror sequels in history, on Netflix.
There aren’t many franchises on Netflix bigger than Stranger Things. The TV show was a monster hit due to its beloved ’80s setting, the concept of the haunting Upside Down, and the likable young characters from Hawkins, Indiana. Now that the main series has ended, the franchise continues with Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, which is an animated spin-off that takes place between the events of Stranger Things Season 2 and Season 3.
Season 2 hits Netflix on September 17th and picks up where Season 1 left off after the gang battled the plant creature known as Horde Prime. After they defeated Horde Prime, a blue flower bloomed from its carcass, and Season 2 looks like it will see those flowers spring up all around Hawkins despite it being winter. It’ll be interesting to see how the team handles this and if anything gets set up if the show bleeds into Stranger Things Season 3.
