Image Credit: Netflix
Netflix debuted dozens of sensible documentary movies and collection all through 2025. On this listing, we rely down our prime 10.
Documentaries make up one of many greatest and most esteemed corners of Netflix. Whether or not it’s way of life, nature, sport, or crime (which is the most important sub-genre), Netflix has a documentary for just about all the pieces. 2025 was a very huge yr for the documentary division, particularly within the true crime area; look no additional than The Good Neighbour and Unknown Quantity.
On this prime 10, we’ve chosen from the extremely numerous vary of documentaries accessible, so there’s one thing for everybody. Let’s dive into it!
10.
Breakdown: 1975
From Academy Award-winning Morgan Neville (20 Ft From Stardom, Received’t You Be My Neighbor, Piece by Piece), documentary collection Breakdown: 1975 explores how political and social chaos in 1975 America birthed a number of the most groundbreaking artistic endeavors in cinema historical past, from One Few Over the Cuckoo’s Nestto Taxi Driver. For movie buffs, that is important viewing and a deep dive into the artistic processes behind works that had been extremely poignant on launch, and have remained cornerstones of cinema all these years later. Even for these much less acquainted with cinema classics, it serves as an engrossing instructional essay on the social and cultural panorama of America in 1975.
Narrated by Jodie Foster, Breakdown: 1975 options appearances from a number of the most coveted names in Hollywood, together with Martin Scorsese, Patton Oswalt, Josh Brolin, Seth Rogen, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs.
9.
Shark Whisperer
American shark conservationist Ocean Ramsey shares her exceptional expertise as a ‘Shark Whisperer’ on this documentary, displaying off breathtaking clips of herself diving with sharks — even nice white sharks. Ramsey not solely reveals herself diving amongst sharks, however proves a significant level: sharks are largely misunderstood. They don’t seem to be the monsters that numerous media make them out to be; look no additional than Jaws. She fights for the protection of sharks, and it’s fairly eye-opening.
The documentary movie is directed by Academy Award–profitable filmmaker James Reed, who’s well-known for helming Netflix’s equally improbable My Octopus Instructor (2020).
Bonus factors for Ocean Ramsey having one of the best title ever for her chosen profession path, too.
8.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning
From Emmy and Grammy Award–profitable Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent) and Alexandria Stapleton, this 4-part documentary spills unprecedented info into the crimes of Sean Combs, higher recognized by his stage title Diddy. Combs is at the moment serving time in federal jail after convicted as an offender.
All through his illustrious profession, Combs garnered a giant fame for recognizing expertise, serving to usher in a brand new era of hip-hop superstars. Following his profession crash out, and the convictions he’s confronted, Netflix launched a documentary collection The Reckoning, which covers his crimes, together with unique interviews with those that labored with him. Such names who characteristic embrace Aubrey O’Day, Kirk Burrowes, Erick Sermon, and Mark Curry.
7.
Titan: The OceanGate Catastrophe
Again in Summer season 2023, all the world was gripped to 1 information story: the OceanGate submarine. The submersible was presupposed to take guests all the way down to the ocean flooring, the place these inside might see the wreck of the Titanic. When 5 passengers journeyed to the ocean depths within the submersible in 2023, they by no means got here again. Because of negligence within the meeting of the craft, it imploded as a consequence of strain, immediately killing them. The information story garnered immense media protection. On the time, it felt like all the world was speaking about OceanGate.
In 2025, Netflix debuted a documentary masking all the tragedy from starting to finish. How might it occur? Emmy-winning director Mark Monroe explains all in Titan: The OceanGate Catastrophe. It’s, maybe, essentially the most complete exploration of the OceanGate tragedy but.
6.
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story
There are already a number of documentaries in regards to the Jodi Hildebrandt story on the market, resembling Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Affect. Netflix’s documentary is certainly essentially the most complete.
Jodi Hildebrandt was a former counsellor and life coach from Utah. She was extensively coveted in her group and was usually really helpful because the go-to therapist. Nonetheless, she would get entangled with YouTuber and mother-influencer Ruby Franke, and her profession and fame turned bitter. As Hildebrandt obtained concerned, reviews surfaced of kid abuse, and the 2 ladies had been in the end arrested in 2023. Hildebrandt pleaded responsible to 4 counts of kid abuse. Netflix’s documentary covers the unsettling case in its entirety, that includes interviews and pictures.
5.
Being Eddie
Eddie Murphy is likely one of the most ubiquitous names in all of Hollywood. A majorly profitable stand-up comedian and multi-award-winning actor, Murphy wants little introduction. In the event you don’t know him from the legendary ’80s film Beverly Hills Cop, you most definitely know him because the voice of Donkey from Shrek. His work transcends generations, and he’s as in style at this time as ever — he’ll return for Shrek 5 later this yr!
How did Eddie Murphy rise to change into the comedy and Hollywood legend he’s at this time? Effectively, merely try Being Eddie. Helmed by two-time Oscar-winner Angus Wall, the inspiring documentary explores his explosive rise to fame, from his early stand-up to showing on Saturday Evening Dwell. It additionally options appearances from quite a few business legends who’ve been concerned in his journey, together with Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kevin Hart, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Brian Grazer.
4.
The Diamond Heist
A private favorite, The Diamond Heist paperwork one of the wildly bold and downright ridiculous heist makes an attempt in British historical past.
Govt produced by Man Ritchie (The Gents), The Diamond Heist chronicles the tried theft of a priceless diamond. So what precisely is the diamond in query? The Millennium Star, value round £350 million, was housed contained in the Millennium Dome for an exhibition.
The miniseries is advised by the accounts of each the gangster perpetrators and the police who investigated it, and options never-before-seen photos and surveillance footage. The truth that it options interviews with those that tried to hold out the heist makes it significantly participating.
This isn’t to be confused with Netflix’s different diamond heist documentary in 2025, Stolen: Heist of the Century. Each are glorious, however The Diamond Heist takes the crown.
3.
Cowl-Up
Cowl-Up was Netflix’s last documentary of 2025, and it was a wonderful addition to its library. The documentary-film is made by a top-tier crew, together with Emmy-award winner Mark Obenhaus and Academy-award winner Laura Poitras. It’s additionally executive-produced by Hollywood star Brad Pitt. A political thriller, it explores the profession of Seymour Hersh — an investigative journalist who famously uncovered the My Lai bloodbath and its cover-up in the course of the Vietnam Battle. He would later win a Pulitzer Prize for his work. This documentary explores the cover-up from unique entry to Hersh’s notes, chronicling the immense and complicated technique of his work.
Cowl-Up hasn’t been out lengthy, however it already boasts an ideal 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2.
Unknown Quantity: The Excessive Faculty Catfish
Skye Borgman’s documentary Unknown Quantity: The Excessive Faculty Catfish was simply one of the talked-about documentaries of 2025. The movie explores a chilling and disturbing case of cyberbullying that shook a whole tight-knit group. It began in October 2020, when 13-year-old Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend on the time, Owen, started receiving unusual textual content messages from an unknown quantity; the individual behind the texts was utterly nameless. As time glided by, and the messages obtained more and more extra private, Lauryn’s dad and mom went to the authorities for assist.
We received’t spoil something for you, however this documentary contains a huge twist you’ll by no means see coming. And on condition that it’s actual life, the twist makes this documentary that far more unsettling.
1.
The Good Neighbour
Not solely was The Good Neighbour a standout documentary on Netflix, however it sits as one of many streamer’s most highly-rated initiatives of 2025 total. The feature-length documentary boasts a stellar 99% approval ranking on Rotten Tomatoes. This deeply unsettling, however utterly gripping collection, tells the story of a deadly neighbourhood dispute in Florida, which exposes blind spots inside america authorized system. The dispute covers Ajike Owens and her white neighbour, Susan Lorincz, the self-proclaimed ‘good neighbour’.
Their battle grew in pressure, starting with preliminary disputes over Ajike’s kids taking part in exterior. Finally, Lorincz killed Ajike after firing a shot by means of a locked door. The documentary covers the saga by means of police bodycam footage and unique interviews.
Of all 2025 Netflix documentaries, The Good Neighbour stands out as one of the best, and that’s greater than mirrored in rankings.
What was your favorite documentary on Netflix in 2025? Inform us within the feedback down under!
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