Let’s face it: going out in winter is challenging. No matter how many layers you pile on, you always end up shivering away – and that’s before you factor in the near-constant downpours.
That’s why, as soon as November comes, our evenings are reserved for snuggling on the sofa with something great on the TV. Luckily for us, there are some stellar new series and films heading to Netflix to do just that.
From a new Matthew Macfadyen drama to the final installment of one of the franchise’s biggest ever series, here’s the full list of everything to add to your to-watch list this month.
Squid Game: The Challenge (Season 2)
Release date: 4th November
If the culmination of the original Squid Game series wasn’t scary enough, this month 456 very real contestants will head into the compound for the chance to bag a $4.56 million prize. Okay, the deaths aren’t real; but the high stakes mean you can expect just as much drama as in the fictional version. As players face elimination at every turn, only one can bag a life-changing prize – but what are they willing to do to come out on top?
Death by Lightning
Release date: 6th November
Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen lead this gripping retelling of one of America’s strangest true stories. Shannon plays President James Garfield, a reluctant leader caught in the chaos of a divided nation, while Macfadyen is Charles Guiteau, the delusional devotee convinced it’s his destiny to kill him. Expect a richly drawn mix of dark politics, warped faith, fatal obsession, and the kind of story that proves real life can be stranger than fiction.
Frankenstein
Release date: 7th November
From the visionary mind of Guillermo del Toro (the brains behind The Shape of Water) comes a chilling reimagining of the gothic classic that’s as beautiful as it is brutal. Oscar Isaac stars as the brilliant but broken scientist Frankenstein, while Jacob Elordi delivers a heart-wrenching turn as the creature born from it (we reckon we’ll still fancy him). Expect del Toro’s signature blend of gothic horror and romance, in a lavish, blood-soaked tale of creation, obsession and madness.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas
Release date: 12th November
’Tis the season for awkward reunions, with Alicia Silverstone starring as recently divorced Kate, determined to pull off one last perfect family Christmas before selling the house – until her ex (Oliver Hudson) turns up with his glamorous new girlfriend in tow. Cue festive chaos, forced cheer and more than a few spiked eggnogs. With Jameela Jamil, Pierson Fodé and Melissa Joan Hart rounding out the cast, this Christmas comedy proves that sometimes the messiest holidays are the most memorable.
The Beast in Me
Release date: 13th November
Claire Danes returns to the small screen in this gripping psychological thriller from the team behind Homeland and The Staircase. She plays Aggie Wiggs, a once-acclaimed author shattered by the death of her son, whose obsession with her new neighbour – a powerful real-estate mogul played by Matthew Rhys – drags her into a dark spiral of suspicion and desire. When curiosity turns into fixation, Aggie’s hunt for the truth threatens to consume them both.
One Shot with Ed Sheeran
Release date: 21st November
Forget the arena lights: Ed Sheeran is taking his music to the streets. Directed by Philip Barantini (Boiling Point, Adolescence), this one-of-a-kind Netflix special follows the global superstar as he performs his biggest hits across New York City – from subway platforms to street corners – all captured in a single, unbroken take. Expect raw vocals, real reactions and that unmistakable Sheeran charm, as one afternoon in the Big Apple turns into a living, breathing concert film.
Stranger Things (Season 5)
Release date: 27th November
It’s the beginning of the end in Hawkins. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will unfold in three parts, kicking off with Volume 1 on November 26, Volume 2 on Christmas Day, and The Finale on New Year’s Eve.
Set in the autumn of 1987, the town is still reeling from the Rifts, and our heroes are united by one goal: find and kill Vecna. But with Eleven forced back into hiding and the government tightening its grip, the stakes have never been higher. Starring Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Winona Ryder and the full returning cast, this final chapter promises a showdown steeped in nostalgia, heartbreak and pure, unrelenting darkness.
