Best Documentaries to Watch in 2026

Documentaries have never been more cinematic, more urgent, or more compelling. From sprawling nature epics to intimate human stories, here are the documentaries that deserve your full attention in 2026.

Nature and Environment

Planet Earth III (BBC/Netflix)

David Attenborough returns to narrate the third chapter of the landmark series. Shot in locations never previously filmed and featuring new breakthroughs in wildlife cinematography, it is one of the most visually stunning things ever committed to screen.

Our Planet II (Netflix)

Netflix's continuation of its nature documentary partnership with the WWF explores migration — one of the most complex and threatened natural behaviours on Earth. Essential viewing alongside the original Our Planet.

True Crime and Social

Making a Murderer (Netflix)

Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos's ten-part series about Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey remains one of the most compelling and legally significant documentaries ever made. If you have not seen it, clear a weekend.

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (HBO)

Alex Gibney's examination of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. One of the clearest portraits of tech hubris, self-deception, and the human cost of fake-it-till-you-make-it culture.

Sports

Drive to Survive – Season 6 (Netflix)

Netflix's behind-the-scenes Formula 1 documentary continues to be the most effective advertisement for a sport in history. Season 6 covers the 2025 season. Essential viewing for F1 fans and newcomers alike.

History and Politics

13th (Netflix)

Ava DuVernay's Academy Award-nominated documentary about racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system. One of the most important documentaries of the past decade.

The Fog of War (Various)

Errol Morris's Oscar-winning portrait of Robert McNamara is a masterclass in documentary filmmaking. Still devastatingly relevant in 2026.