Netflix has cultivated a track record for releasing compelling documentary films and series throughout its many years in the business, and 2025 will be no different.
Looking ahead to what's in store, the streamer has several must-watch true crime docs in its lineup, including a new series on the Long Island Serial Killer and the murder of Gabby Petito. Below, we've outlined five of this year's must-watch documentaries.
American Murder: Gabby Petito
- Episodes: 3
- Release date: Feb. 17
Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie appeared to be a picture-perfect couple to those who followed them on social media. The pair was documenting a cross-country trip in a converted camper van, showcasing cheery videos of them living the #VanLife when Gabby mysteriously vanished. It later came to light that behind the social media perfection, their relationship was far more tumultuous and potentially even abusive.
Because of their online presence, Gabby's disappearance caught media attention and became a viral investigation. This three-part Netflix series will further explore Gabby's story, featuring interviews with her friends and family along with video footage, Gabby's personal journals, real text messages, and more.
American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson
- Episodes: 4
- Release date: Now streaming
Countless documentaries have already been made about the "trial of the century," but Netflix recently released another from director Floyd Russ. The filmmaker's goal was to present all of the evidence and the complete timeline of O.J. Simpson's alleged crimes to let viewers act as jurors and decide whether or not he was guilty.
In 1995, Simpson went to trial for allegedly murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. He was famously acquitted because the jury found reasonable doubt. According to Time, Russ offered Simpson a chance to participate, but Simpson wanted to be paid to tell his side of the story, a caveat that the filmmakers felt would be unethical. Simpson died on April 10, 2024.
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer
- Episodes: 3
- Release date: TBA
Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Liz Garbus returns with a docuseries follow-up to her 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls. In this three-part series, viewers will be privy to new interviews with law enforcement officials and more as we learn about the investigation into the Long Island Serial Killer.
In 2023, police arrested suspect Rex Heuermann, who has been accused of murdering seven women dating back to the 1990s. The investigation is still unfolding, with Heuermann returning to court this past week for a hearing on the case's DNA evidence, per CBS News. Netflix has not announced the date for this title yet, but it has been confirmed for 2025.
American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden
- Episodes: 3
- Release date: Mar. 10
Netflix's American Manhunt series returns with a three-part look at the mobilization efforts that went into the decade-long manhunt for al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden after he helped orchestrate the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. Directed by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan.
Chaos: The Manson Murders
- Documentary film
- Release date: Mar. 7
It's hard to imagine a world where there is anything new to say about the Manson murders, but this upcoming Netflix documentary film will supposedly offer a fresh perspective that delves into the newly revealed links between Charles Manson, LSD, the CIA, and more. The film, directed by Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line) is based on the 2019 book by Tom O'Neill and Dan Piepenbring.
Per Netflix Tudum, Chaos: The Manson Murders "invites viewers to question the roles of well-known players and powerful institutions alike in a thought-provoking exploration of the tumultuous era’s cultural and political undercurrents."
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