I’m always on the hunt for the latest thriller movie arrivals on the world’s biggest streamer. This week, Netflix is adding a tense thriller starring Bill Skarsgård, and what makes this one even more gripping is that it’s all based on a true story.
If you haven’t fully checked out Netflix’s May 2026 slate, a couple of earlier additions are still well worth your watch time this week. Here are the latest thriller movies on Netflix. So, if you need to add a dose of excitement to your watchlist, this trio will provide plenty of thrills.
Best Netflix thriller movies to watch this week
‘Dead Man’s Wire’ (2025)
If you enjoy thrillers based on true stories, look no further than “Dead Man’s Wire.” This crime thriller is based on a real-life hostage standoff, and with its themes of the little guy pushing back against corporate greed, it feels quite relevant to our current times, despite its 1970s setting.
On Tuesday, February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis (played here by Bill Skarsgård) walked into the office of his mortgage broker and took a hostage, Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery), the son of the company’s CEO. Attaching a dead man’s wire to his victim, and with a shotgun pointed directly at his chest, Tony wants retribution for what he perceives to be wrongdoing. Skarsgård is excellent in the central role, and the introduction packs plenty of intensity, but “Dead Man’s Wire’s” second act drags its heels.
Stream “Dead Man’s Wire” on Netflix starting May 28
‘Den of Thieves’ (2018)
“Den of Thieves” is an action-thriller built around a familiar trope: cops vs. robbers. It stars Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. It’s no awards contender, but “Den of Thieves” found success with viewers and even got a sequel, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” which is also currently on Netflix. With the first now streaming on Netflix, the “Den of Thieves” franchise makes for a great double bill.
Butler portrays Detective Nick O’Brien, an LA County sheriff, who leads an elite group of deputies in a mission to stop a notorious crew of expert thieves. The robbers’ target is the Federal Reserve Bank, and the cops will stop at nothing to prevent their planned heist. This crime thriller feels rather old school in its construction and is, for the most part, good fun.
Watch “Den of Thieves” on Netflix now
‘Burn After Reading’ (2008)
The Coen brothers are known for movies like “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “No Country for Old Men.” Those are all excellent films, worthy of their stature, but in my opinion, “Burn After Reading” might just be the directing duo’s most entertaining movie. This farcical comedy with an espionage twist packs the Coen brothers’ trademark, sharp-edged humor. Plus, it’s all brought to life by an all-star cast, including George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton and Brad Pitt.
“Burn After Reading” opens with a CIA analyst (Malkovich) quitting his job and opting to write a memoir. Meanwhile, his wife (Tilda Swinton) is having an affair with a paranoid U.S. Marshall (Clooney). When the first draft of the memoir falls into the hands of two bumbling gym employees (McDormand and Pitt), they mistakenly believe they’ve stumbled upon classified government secrets and attempt to extort the analyst for money. An ill-conceived plan that backfires in quite spectacular fashion.
Watch “Burn After Reading” on Netflix now
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