Image Credit: Quiver Distribution/Redbox Entertainment
Happy New Year, and welcome to your monthly look at the movies we’re most excited for over the next few weeks for the first month of 2026. It’s going to be a surprisingly busy month on the new movie front, with some bangers from the past and some highly anticipated new Netflix originals. Here are eight movies to add to your watchlist for January 2026.
As always, we’re going to split this article into two parts: first, we’ll cover the upcoming new Netflix Original movies we’re most excited about, and then cover the licensed movies that will make their way to Netflix exclusively in the US, with availability for other regions potentially varying.
For a complete guide on what’s coming to Netflix in January 2026, keep it locked to What’s on Netflix here.
Most Anticipated New Netflix Original Movies in January 2026
People We Meet on Holidays (2026)
coming to netflix: 9 January
It’s no secret that Netflix has had a lot of success turning popular YA romance novels into beloved rom-com franchises, and People We Meet on Vacation may be hoping to do the same. Directed by Emily Bader and Tom Blythe, the film will bring to life Emily Henry’s novel, which tells the story of Poppy and Alex, who have nothing in common on paper, but after a chance meeting in college, they agree to go on holiday together every summer. However, this summer will be a little different, as they have decided to see if they can become a couple.
It must be said that Netflix is putting a lot of marketing push behind this title, with a big campaign, especially compared to other recent rom-coms. Will it deliver? We will know in the middle of the month.
incision
coming to netflix: 16 January
One of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity movies may be heading exclusively to Netflix in 2026 incision Marks the first person out of the gate.
Directed by Joe Carnahan, best known for gray And a teamThe film reunites Damon and Affleck on screen, a pairing that has historically paid off. Based on what we’ve seen so far, this project looks like a high-octane mix of Sons of Anarchy and Bad Boys, which is enough to be interesting. The mid-January release date shouldn’t be a concern either, as Netflix has turned that window into a reliable launchpad for major hits in recent years.
The story revolves around the police in Miami, where lakhs of undisclosed cash is found in a secret house, which creates a butterfly effect and sees targets on their backs, not only from enemies who want the money back, but also from friends.
The best licensed movies coming to Netflix
Soul on Fire (2025)
coming to netflix: 8 January
If you like Netflix because they get brand new movies that just came out in theaters, or you like feel-good biopics with inspirational messages, soul is burning Maybe right up your street.
Directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer, Reign), written by Gregory Poirier and based on John O’Leary’s bestselling memoir On Fire, the film delivers an emotional, faith-driven story of resilience. It not only follows O’Leary’s fight to survive, but also rediscovers what it really means to live, highlighting the vital role played by frontline workers, family and the wider community. At its core, the film stands as a celebration of everyday heroes.
The film received positive reviews since its release, particularly from audiences, along with the performances of Joel Courtney, John Corbett and Stephanie Szostak.
bond movie collection
coming to netflix: 15 January
Okay, so when we said eight movies, that was actually a lot, considering that the entire James Bond collection (not just the new ones, as some trades have suggested) is headed to Netflix, not just in the United States but in several other international territories as well. As we previously covered, this is part of a new MGM licensing agreement that took effect in November and will continue through January.
Let’s be honest, not all Bond movies are on the same playing field, many have aged horribly. While we’ll be creating a full watch guide when they join Netflix in the middle of the month, we wanted to pick three that we think should be on everyone’s list:
- Skyfall (2012) – Director Sam Mendes brings out the best performance from Daniel Craig in this actor’s third film, which will undoubtedly be controversial, as Casino Royale is often considered the best of his works. Still, it’s easily the most well-constructed Bond film of the modern era, serving as a perfect entry point for many with some iconic scenes and locations, gadgets, a great villain played by Javier Bardem, and even a sequence at the end that will feel right at home for any Home Alone fans after the Christmas period.
- Goldfinger (1964) – When you think of the most famous James Bond films, you’ll probably find the consensus that Goldfinger is probably the most iconic, it’s the film I watched over and over again as a child. From Shirley Bassey’s theme song, to the iconic villains, to Sean Connery’s career high performance, this is an absolutely iconic entry.
- Goldeneye (1995) – If you’re a millennial like me, if you ask who your Bond is, you’ll almost certainly land on the guy who is Pierce Brosnan, and the general consensus is that his best entry was his first in GoldenEye.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
coming to netflix: 16 January
Directed and written by Paul Thomas Anderson (who is highly regarded for an Oscar). one fight after another, Liquorice Pizza It is a warm, coming-of-age story set in the San Fernando Valley of the 1970s and is another film to come from the new deal with MGM.
The film follows the unconventional relationship between teen actor Gary Valentine and aimless twenty-something Alana Kane as they navigate first love, ambition, and uncertainty. Driven by a deep sense of time and place, the film depicts the strange adventures of growing up, the false starts of adulthood, and the fleeting moments that make us who we are, all with Anderson’s trademark blend of humor, nostalgia, and emotional honesty.
Megane 2.0 (2025)
coming to netflix: 26 January
As we first covered, an unusual pickup heading to Netflix in late January will be Megan 2.0, the highly publicized (probably for all the wrong reasons) follow-up to Blumhouse’s beloved debut film Megan. It has been overhyped in the sense that it was one of the defining box office disasters of 2025, with the pivot from horror to action being the primary culprit.
Despite that pivot and the amount of crap this movie got, for the sake of this article it’s still an enjoyable time watching it. Will I have to pay full price for it in theaters? Not at all, but I’m glad I got to see it. The sequel is written and directed by returning filmmaker Gerard Johnstone, with the story focusing on Megan finding a new purpose after being captured by a military company and used as the foundation for a new weapon.
However, this is where things get interesting. We called it an unusual pickup because Universal live-action films split their first windows between Peacock and Prime Video. We speculated that this could be a precursor to Netflix acquiring the now-defunct spin-off Soul8T, or it was just an old marketing stunt window to help promote that film. We will see what happens.
becky (2020)
added to netflix: January 1st
One of the movies you can watch right now is this extremely bizarre but highly watchable action comedy starring Lulu Wilson and Kevin James. You probably know James best for playing silly characters, but he takes an intense turn here, portraying an escaped prison inmate who terrorizes a rebellious teenager determined to protect her family.
It is R-rated and has received great reviews from critics unanimous reading“Becky isn’t able to maintain enough intensity to fully take advantage of its premise, though it does provide an entertainingly disgusting thrill for fans of the genre.”
We should also note that Netflix is US Follow-up streaming, 2023 Becky’s anger, And you have some time to watch it with streaming rights Till 2027.
Ford vs Ferrari (2019)
added to netflix: January 1st
And finally, another movie that you can watch right now is Ford v Ferrari, which is one of the latest movies licensed from 20th Century Fox, which, until last year, had not given any of its movies to Netflix for quite some time. In what may be one of the greatest racing movies of all time, the film focuses on car designer Carroll Shelby, who teams up with misfit Ken Miles to tackle Le Mans for Ford and ultimately end Ferrari’s reign.
With stellar performances from Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Jon Bernthal (among many others), this film is a world-traveling tour de force and an entertaining watch, whether you’re into cars or not.
These are our picks for the best new movies on Netflix for January 2026 – have we missed any? Let us know in the comments.