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

Searching for the best new Netflix movies to land on the platform since mid-June? TechRadar has got you covered.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of the most important new movies to join the globe’s best streaming service in recent weeks. That includes hit Netflix originals like Extraction 2, as well as licensed films, such as the first five Fast & Furious movies.

While this guide covers all world territories, readers should note that some of our entries – as handpicked by our entertainment team – aren’t available in every region. For instance, Fast & Furious 1 through 5 aren’t on Netflix in the UK. However, Fast 9 is streamable on British shores. Where possible, we’ll notify you where these films are available worldwide.

If you’re looking for a broader list of what’s viewable where you live, our best Netflix movies should be your go-to. For now, these are the biggest and most popular net Netflix films to stream as of August 4, 2023.

New Netflix movies: August 2023

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.

Lost in Translation 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.

Miraculous‘ 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 of films? 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.” 

They Cloned Tyrone has 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 57% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, though, Bird Box Barcelona might not be one of those new Netflix movies that’s 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 22% critical and 42% audience Rotten Tomatoes scores, though, it isn’t enthralling anyone.

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

Nimona 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

Succession‘s Sarah Snook 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.

Run Rabbit Run 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.

The Perfect Find has a respectable 70% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so it’s not as generic or below-par as we’d expected. Well, if you don’t look at its 58% audience rating, anyway…

Extraction 2

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?

Interested in reading about what other new Netflix movies – those developed in-house, anyway – are coming in 2023? Below, we’ve picked out some of the most eagerly anticipated Netflix Originals set for release before the year ends:

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.

Heart of Stone could be that movie series. Positioned as a Mission: Impossible-style franchise, this action thriller stars Gadot as Rachel Stone, a CIA agent who “is the only woman standing between her powerful, global peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable – and dangerous – asset”. Its first trailer, which debuted at Tudum 2023, shows how Gadot could be the new Bourne or Bond, too.

Co-starring alongside Gador are Jamie Dornan (50 Shades of Grey), Matthias Schweighofer (Army of the Dead), Alia Bhatt (RRR), and Sophie Okonedo (The Wheel of Time). Peaky Blinders and Misfits director Tom Harper helms this entry in our new Netflix movies guide. 

Make sure to check back in with TechRadar very soon for an exclusive coverage of Heart of Stone, too.

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-action-comedy family movie.

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.

Choose Love 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.

Love At First Sight 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.

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.

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.

Rebel Moon

Release date: December 22

Army of the Dead director Zack Snyder is returning 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.

Maestro

Release date: TBA (2023 confirmed)

Produced by Todd Phillips, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and leading man Bradley Cooper (who also directs 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). 

The Mothership

Release date: TBA (2023 confirmed)

The Mothership is a sci-fi adventure that 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 and best Netflix shows guides. Alternatively, find out how to sign up to Netflix or get the lowdown on whether it’s worth cancelling your Netflix subscription.