To keep ahead of every other streaming service opening its doors, Netflix boasts its own originals. Each month, the platform churns out tons of shows, movies, and specials. But what’s worth paying attention to?
Out of everything coming to Netflix (that we know of!) over the course of the next few months, we’ve selected a handful of pickings that look intriguing and promising. Along with returning big names like Arrested Development and Queer Eye, behold the debut of some new shows and films.
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (film)
Premieres on March 1
Based on the true story, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind follows 13-year-old William Kamkwamba as he saves his family and village from famine by constructing a wind turbine. Directed, written by, and starring Academy-Award winning actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, the movie got positive buzz out of Sundance and might be the uplifting palette cleanser we need after a cutthroat Oscar season.
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The Order (series)
Premieres on March 7
Netflix pitches The Order as “The Vampire Diaries meets The Skulls” — essentially supernatural drama meets super secret society thrills. College freshman Jack Morton joins a secret society called the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose and not only uncovers some dark family secrets, but also a full-on war between magic users and werewolves.
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Terrace House: Opening New Doors: Part 6 (series)
Premieres on March 12
The fourth series of Japanese reality show Terrace House: Opening New Doors returns in March. Described as a softer, gentler version of Western series Big Brother, Terrace House focuses on six individuals living under the same roof. The show gained a cult following when it was released internationally and many appreciate the fact that it’s relatively drama-free.
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Arrested Development: Season 5, Part 2 (series)
Premieres on March 15
Though the shenanigans of the Bluth family came to a Bluthian conclusion in season 4, Netflix rounded up the troupe and gambled on a season 5. The first part of season 5 premiered back in May 2018, and earned mixed reviews. Is there still a hunger for Michael, Gob, Buster, and the rest of the gang? All eight episodes of what is likely the last we’ll see of Arrested Development will drop at once, so we’ll find out.
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Love, Death & Robots (series)
Premieres on March 15
Another reminder of Netflix’s push into animation, the anthology series from Tim Miller (Deadpool) and David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network) juggles a wide gamut of themes and concepts in 18 unrelated short films. From werewolf mercenaries to sentient dairy, anything is possible. If the idea of a patchwork of sci-fi short films wasn’t cool enough, each film will be animated in a different style.
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Queer Eye: Season 3 (series)
Premieres on March 15
The Fab Five return to help out people in need of a serious lifestyle boost. In 2018, the popular early 2000s reality show (then known as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) got a slick revamp for the modern era with Antoni Porowski as the food and wine connoisseur, Tan France as the resident style expert, Karamo Brown as the head on culture, Bobby Berk in charge of all things interior design, and Jonathan Van Ness taking care of grooming. The charming crew returns in March to help out residents of Kansas City, Missouri.
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The Dirt (film)
Premieres on March 22
Apparently every musical act in existence is getting a biopic following the success of Bohemian Rhapsody. Next in line is glam metal band Mötley Crüe. Based on the band’s biography of the same name, this biopic won’t hold back from the nitty-gritty dirty little details of Mötley Crüe’s rise to fame. Before the Netflix movie was announced, lead Nikki Stixx said he’d like a potential movie to explore the band’s creativity and interpersonal relationships in addition to all the scandal. Early word says this movie nails it.
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Osmosis (series)
Premieres on March 29
Set in a near future Paris where the mysteries of true love have been decoded and broken down. A new dating app called Osmosis promises an absolute perfect match. But if the cost of finding your One True Love involves giving up the deepest darkest secrets of your mind, is it still worth it? Oui or non?
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Santa Clarita Diet: Season 3 (series)
Premieres on March 29
A regular suburban family faces a bit of a roadblock when wife Sheila (Drew Barrymore) turns into a flesh-eating zombie. A horror comedy about balancing family life, murder, nosy neighbors and mythological mysteries, Santa Clarita Diet returns for a third season, where Sheila searches for meaning in life while husband Joel investigates a secret society. (I guess secret societies are a thing now post-Riverdale?)
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The Highwaymen (film)
Premieres on March 29
The Highwaymen is basically Bonnie and Clyde ... but from the cops’ point of view. Two former Texas Rangers (Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson) hunt down the infamous gangsters, relying on their gut and gumption to stop Bonnie and Clyde’s crime spree. Kathy Bates joins the cast as Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, the first female governor of Texas.
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The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Season 2 (series)
Premieres on April 5
Netflix’s take on Sabrina the Teenage Witch is less about goofy sitcom fun and more about horror and the occult. The first season saw Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) in conflict between her mortal side and her witch one, with higher and more drastic stakes than the ’90s show. Though the winter special managed to answer some lingering questions (albeit in a lackluster way), Sabrina still has many challenges ahead of her. The best part of the show, though? Chance Perdomo’s Ambrose, who holds his own with the more experience adult cast and seamlessly balances moments of levity with an otherwise tragic backstory.
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Rilakkuma and Kaoru (series)
Premieres on April 19
AH! AH! AH! If the picture alone isn’t enough to sell you, then maybe the little teaser trailer showcasing the stop-motion animation will. Rilakkuma is a loveable character from San-X, not to be confused with Sanrio the company behind Hello Kitty and Aggretsuko. His origin story revolves around his mysterious appearance in office worker Kaoru’s apartment one day. Korilakkuma is the little white bear and his best friend, while Kiiroitori is Kaoru’s pet chick. Overall, un-BEAR-ably adorable.
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She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: Season 2 (series)
Premieres on April 26
The revamp of the 1980s series She-Ra: Princess of Power traded retro character designs and campy villains for sleeker models, complex motives, and nuanced relationships. The end of the first season saw the Princess Alliance come together and defeat the Evil Horde. But the Horde still has other plans up its sleeve, as Catra rises in ranks and becomes Hordak’s second-in-command. What lies ahead for both the Princesses and the Horde?