15 Best Documentaries On Netflix 2026

Explore our hand-picked selection of 15 titles. Ratings, reviews, and streaming options included.

If you're searching for the best documentaries on netflix 2026, this list gathers standout true stories, high-altitude adventures and must-see crime investigations currently streaming. From the eerie Secret Mall Apartment (2024) and the vertigo-inducing Free Solo (2018) to the new Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (2026), we spotlight titles that cross documentary, adventure, sport, crime and drama genres. This top best documentaries on netflix 2026 roundup balances critically acclaimed favorites, recent releases like The Perfect Neighbor (2025) and Cover-Up (2025), and hard-to-miss live events such as Skyscraper Live (2026). You’ll find short blurbs, why each film matters, and quick viewing tips so you can pick the right watch for your mood.

Table of Contents

1. Secret Mall Apartment
2. Free Solo
3. Murder Comes to Town
4. The Perfect Neighbor
5. Cover-Up
6. Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart
7. Skyscraper Live
8. Take That
9. Mike Epps: Delusional
10. All the Empty Rooms
11. Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
12. Meru
13. aka Charlie Sheen
14. WWE: Unreal
15. Formula 1: Drive to Survive

1. Secret Mall Apartment

Year: 2024 | Rating: 7.1/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary

In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside a busy mall and lived there for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than a prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all involved.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Jeremy Workman

2. Free Solo

Year: 2018 | Rating: 8.1/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, adventure, sport

Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000 foot high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this would arguably be the greatest feat in rock climbing history.

Available on: Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus

Directed by: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

3. Murder Comes to Town

Year: 2014 | Rating: 7.2/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, crime

A world of true crime with an authentic Americana tone, style and attitude. Each episode brings a gripping tale of betrayal and murder, told by friends, family and neighbors. It's stories of crime from America's heartland.

Available on: Netflix, Hulu, Max

Directed by: Geoffrey Proud, Elizabeth Fisher, Lauren J. Przybyszewski, Scott Colthorp

4. The Perfect Neighbor

Year: 2025 | Rating: 7.1/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, crime, drama, thriller

Police bodycam footage reveals how a long-running neighborhood dispute turned fatal in this documentary about fear, prejudice and Stand Your Ground laws.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Geeta Gandbhir

5. Cover-Up

Year: 2025 | Rating: 7.5/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary

Seymour Hersh has been at the front lines of political journalism in the United States. Hersh's breakthrough reportage has brought to the public's attention many of the most damning constitutional wrongdoings and cover-ups.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Mark Obenhaus, Laura Poitras

6. Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart

Year: 2026 | Rating: 6.7/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, crime

Elizabeth Smart's harrowing abduction at 14 from her family's Utah home unfolds through her own words and never-before-seen material.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Benedict Sanderson

7. Skyscraper Live

Year: 2026 | Rating: 7.9/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, sport

Follows free soloist Alex Honnold as he attempts to climb Taipei 101, one of the world's tallest buildings, without safety equipment in a live broadcast event.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Joe DeMaio

8. Take That

Year: 2026 | Rating: 7.7/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary

The story of one of the greatest boy bands in UK history. For more than 30 years, they have brought us hit after hit, 12 of which became UK number ones.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: David Soutar

9. Mike Epps: Delusional

Year: 2026 | Rating: 6/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, comedy

Follows comedian Mike Epps as he discusses how a little delusion and a lot of hustle made him a star.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Royale Watkins

10. All the Empty Rooms

Year: 2025 | Rating: 9.6/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, short

A journalist and a photographer set out to memorialize the bedrooms left behind by children killed in school shootings.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Joshua Seftel

11. Unknown Number: The High School Catfish

Year: 2025 | Rating: 6.7/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, crime

Vulgar, taunting texts blow up the phones of a teen and her boyfriend. Who's sending them — and why? This twisty documentary reveals the shocking answer.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Skye Borgman

12. Meru

Year: 2015 | Rating: 7.7/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, sport

Meru is the electrifying story of three elite American climbers—Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk—bent on achieving the impossible.

Available on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Freevee

Directed by: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

13. aka Charlie Sheen

Year: 2025 | Rating: 7.5/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, biography

Actor Charlie Sheen tells his story in this candid two-part documentary tracing his dazzling Hollywood rise, tabloid-topping fall and road to recovery.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Andrew Renzi

14. WWE: Unreal

Year: 2025 | Rating: 8/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, reality-tv, sport

From Monday Night RAW to WrestleMania, this series goes backstage with WWE Superstars and staff as they bring the company's biggest spectacles to life.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: Terrell Riley, Steve Trout, Chris Weaver

15. Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Year: 2019 | Rating: 8.5/10 | Type: Movie

Genres: documentary, sport

Drivers, managers and team owners live life in the fast lane - both on and off the track - during one cutthroat season of Formula 1 racing.

Available on: Netflix

Directed by: David Hayes, Martin Webb, Nick Hardie, James Routh, Nonuk Walter

Wrapping Up

This curated selection demonstrates the range and quality you can expect from the best documentaries on netflix 2026, spanning adventure climbs like Free Solo, investigative crime series such as Murder Comes to Town (2014), and recent drama-leaning entries like The Perfect Neighbor (2025). Each entry includes genre notes, viewer ratings and why it matters so you can quickly find a documentary that fits your tastes—sport, crime, drama or bold live events like Skyscraper Live (2026). We update this list regularly with fresh releases, including 2026 premieres like Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart and Take That, so bookmark or share this guide and check back for the latest additions. Ready for more? Explore the full list, verify current streaming availability on Netflix, and return often for new recommendations.

Last updated: February 1, 2026