Netflix has been a powerhouse in original films since Cary Fukunaga's Beasts of No Nation debuted as the first Netflix Original Film in 2015. The streaming giant continues to expand its library with diverse hits—from heartfelt rom-coms like To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Oscar-winning dramas like Roma to high-octane blockbusters such as Extraction. As entertainment experts tracking Netflix's output for years, we've compiled this reliable release schedule for their most anticipated upcoming originals. Note that Netflix announces dates closer to launch, so we'll update this list as new details emerge.
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Release Date: August 7, 2020
Director: Laura Terruso
Writer: Alison Peck
Cast: Sabrina Carpenter, Liza Koshy, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jordan Fisher
Synopsis: When Quinn Ackerman (Sabrina Carpenter)'s admission to her dream college depends on nailing a dance competition, she assembles a misfit crew of dancers to take on the school's elite team—first, she has to learn to dance.
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Release Date: August 14, 2020
Directors: Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost
Writer: Mattson Tomlin
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Dominique Fishback, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Machine Gun Kelly, Rodrigo Santoro, Courtney B. Vance
Synopsis: In New Orleans, a mysterious pill grants unique superpowers—but its effects are unpredictable. As crime surges, a cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a teen dealer (Dominique Fishback), and a vengeful ex-soldier (Jamie Foxx) team up, risking the pill themselves to dismantle its creators.
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Release Date: August 21, 2020
Director: Trish Sie
Writer: Sarah Rothschild
Cast: Sadie Stanley, Maxwell Simkins, Malin Åkerman, Ken Marino, Joe Manganiello
Synopsis: Clancy (Sadie Stanley) and her brother Kevin (Maxwell Simkins) learn their mom Margot (Malin Åkerman) is a former thief in witness protection. Kidnapped for one last heist, the kids must rescue their parents in a wild night of adventure. Directed by Trish Sie (Pitch Perfect 3).
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Release Date: August 28, 2020
Director: Brett Haley
Writers: Marc Basch and Brett Haley
Cast: Auli'i Cravalho, Fred Armisen, Carol Burnett, Justina Machado, Rhenzy Feliz, Judy Reyes, Taylor Richardson, CS Lee, Anthony Jacques Jr., Gerald Isaac Waters
Synopsis: Optimistic teen Amber Appleton (Auli'i Cravalho) juggles drama club, a donut shop job, and caring for her mom and friends amid challenges. Supported by her chosen family—including a grumpy resident (Carol Burnett)—she finds hope. Directed by Brett Haley (All the Bright Places), based on Matthew Quick's novel.
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Release Date: September 4, 2020
Director/Writer: Charlie Kaufman
Cast: Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, David Thewlis
Synopsis: A young woman (Jessie Buckley) questions her relationship during a snowed-in visit to her boyfriend's (Jesse Plemons) family farm. Directed and written by Oscar winner Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), based on Iain Reid's novel.
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Release Date: September 2020
Director: Harry Bradbeer
Writer: Jack Thorne
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter
Synopsis: In 1884, 16-year-old Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) searches for her missing mother (Helena Bonham Carter), defying brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin). She unravels a conspiracy. Based on Nancy Springer's series.
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Release Date: October 16, 2020
Director/Writer: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Strong, Frank Langella, Mark Rylance, John Carroll Lynch, Ben Shenkman
Synopsis: The 1968 Democratic National Convention protest spiraled into chaos, leading to charges against organizers like Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, and Bobby Seale in one of history's most infamous trials.
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Release Date: October 21, 2020
Director: Ben Wheatley
Writers: Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse
Cast: Lily James, Armie Hammer, Kristin Scott Thomas
Synopsis: Newlywed (Lily James) with widower Maxim (Armie Hammer) faces the lingering shadow of his first wife Rebecca at Manderley, haunted by housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas). Directed by Ben Wheatley, based on Daphne du Maurier's novel.
