While Netflix just made a lot of subscribers very happy, revealing a packed slate of movies and shows for 2025, some of its biggest franchises were noticeably absent from the schedule. The new year sees many popular franchises, like The Old Guard, Knives Out, Stranger Things, and more return to our screens, with shows like Stranger Things releasing its final ever season. But, fans of Netflix’s newer hits may be waiting until 2026, or even longer, for their faves to return.
During the streamer’s “New on Netflix” presentation, fans couldn’t help but notice some major absences in the 2025 line-up. Many were expecting Season 2 of Guy Ritchie’s hit series, The Gentlemen, to return this year, but it was nowhere to be found. The final season of Outer Banks was also expected to release in 2025, as was Season 2 of Netflix’s live-action One Piece adaptation.
The list goes on, as Season 7 of Virgin River, Season 4 of Bridgerton and The Lincoln Lawyer, Season 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s live-action adaptation, Beef, and 3 Body Problem were also excluded. Some were even optimistically hoping Season 2 of Netflix’s latest spy-thriller, Black Doves, would release in 2025. Although, considering Season 1 was only released in December, that might have been too optimistic.
As frustrating as the announcement was to some, it’s important to remember that it isn’t carved in stone. Release dates and schedules change all the time to accommodate delays, re-shoots, awards potential, and new trends. Additionally, the announcement left the final quarter of Netflix’s release slate looking very blank. Some of the aforementioned shows could be snuck into Netflix’s winter line-up. This was the case for the last seasons of Virgin River and The Lincoln Lawyer, which were squeezed into the streamer’s 2024 winter window, despite being absent from the initial 2024 slate.
What is Netflix Releasing in 2025?

But fear not, because the absence of the above shows makes way for some of Netflix’s other major franchises to fill the void in 2025. As previously mentioned, the long-awaited action sequel, The Old Guard 2, will finally be released this year, as will the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. If that wasn’t enough, the final season of Squid Game will also be released in 2025, bringing the tense South Korean series to a close, ahead of the upcoming American spin-off by David Fincher. Season 2 of Wednesday, one of Netflix’s biggest shows to date, will also haunt audiences later this year.

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Netflix also unveiled three big new movies which will premiere in 2025. The first is Havoc, a new action film starring Tom Hardy, directed by The Raid’s Garth Evans, which releases in the Spring. Guillermo del Toro is also releasing his next Netflix project this November: the eagerly-anticipated Frankenstein remake, based on the novel by Mary Shelley. Finally, RIP, a new crime-thriller which re-unites Matt Damon and Ben Affleck releases this Fall.