There's a reason Paramount+'s fast-paced new movie sits at the top of the streamer's Top 10 rankings—it's a thriller, and people love them.In fact, according to FlixPatrol, most of the biggest streaming services currently have thrillers among their top five because they offer mystery, crank up the tension, and dare you to look away lest you miss something.And while Paramount+ staples like the saga get watched on repeat, allow me to offer a few other suggestions for a weekday adrenaline-pumper, with my number one pick a David Fincher classic about one of America's most notorious serial killers.
3 Minority Report Spielberg and Cruise hunt a murder that hasn't happened yet Before Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg had their much-publicized falling out around the time of their second and last movie together, , they collaborated on what is one of the best and most influential sci-fi thrillers ever made— The iconic 2002 film, an adaptation of Philip K.Dick's 1956 short story of the same name, is still one of the best screen adaptations of Dick's work, alongside and .In 2054, where psychics known as "precogs" can look into the future and see murders before they're committed, law enforcement officers who are part of a unit known as PreCrime can use the information to apprehend perpetrators, often before they even know they're about to kill.
Heading up the PreCrime unit is John Anderton (Cruise), who's very good at his job and believes in the system, until the precogs finger him as a future killer.This triggers a high-stakes manhunt, led by agent Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell), as Anderton races to clear his name and uncover the conspiracy behind the accusation.is not only a classic mold-breaking sci-fi thriller, but nerds will tip their hats to the film's prediction of gesture-controlled screens and eyeball-scanning tech.
The film has a solid 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Minority Report PG-13 Crime Sci-Fi Action Mystery Thriller Release Date June 21, 2002 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT Cast Tom Cruise, Neal McDonough, Samantha Morton, Colin Farrell, Max Von Sydow Runtime 145 minutes Director Steven Spielberg Writers Scott Frank, Jon Cohen Franchise(s) Minority Report Budget $102 million Studio(s) DreamWorks Distribution, 20th Century Distributor(s) DreamWorks Distribution, 20th Century Powered by Expand Collapse 2 The Talented Mr.Ripley Identity theft was never so sinister With Matt Damon leading the cast of what is quickly becoming the movie event of 2026 in Christopher Nolan’s massive , why not set aside a couple of hours this week to pay homage to one of the actor’s most sinister roles in the psychological thriller .
Nominated for five Oscars, Anthony Minghella's 1999 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 novel is a gorgeously chilling movie about stolen identity—shot across some of the most beautiful corners of Italy, as if the scenery were there to soften the evil unfolding within it.Damon plays Tom Ripley, a young New York go-getter who’s sent to a beautiful Italian coastal town to retrieve Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), the pampered, work-dodging son of a shipping magnate.But once Tom tastes Dickie's frivolous, sun-drenched lifestyle and glamorous circle of friends (including Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett), bringing him home is driven from Tom's mind—and something far darker takes its place.
Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge Name that Netflix thrillerTrivia challenge From twisted mysteries to edge-of-your-seat suspense — can you identify these Netflix thrillers from a single clue? MysterySuspenseCrimePlot TwistsCharacters Begin 01 / 8 Plot Twists In which Netflix thriller does a woman discover that her seemingly perfect husband has been living a secret double life, complete with a second family in another city? AThe StrangerBBehind Her EyesCYouDThe One Correct! The Stranger (2020) is based on Harlan Coben's novel and follows Adam Price after a mysterious woman reveals his wife has been hiding a shocking secret.The show is a British production and was a massive hit for Netflix upon release. Not quite.The answer is The Stranger, a 2020 Netflix adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel.
It follows Adam Price as a chance encounter with a mysterious woman unravels devastating secrets about his wife and his entire life. Continue 02 / 8 Crime Which Netflix thriller follows a brilliant but obsessive stalker named Joe Goldberg who works in a bookstore and uses social media to insert himself into his targets' lives? AMindhunterBDirty JohnCYouDOzark Correct! You stars Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg, a charming yet deeply disturbed man whose inner monologue narrates his dangerous obsessions.The show originally aired on Lifetime before Netflix picked it up and turned it into a global phenomenon. Not quite.The answer is You, starring Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg.
The show's genius lies in its unreliable first-person narration, which forces viewers to uncomfortably sympathize with a serial stalker and killer. Continue 03 / 8 Suspense In Bird Box, the characters must keep their eyes covered to avoid a mysterious force.Which actress plays the lead character Malorie? AToni ColletteBSandra BullockCCate BlanchettDNaomi Watts Correct! Sandra Bullock delivers a gripping performance as Malorie in the 2018 Netflix post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box.The film was so popular it reportedly became one of Netflix's most-watched original films within its first week of release. Not quite.
Sandra Bullock plays Malorie in Bird Box (2018).The film was based on Josh Malerman's novel and spawned the infamous 'Bird Box Challenge' on social media, which Netflix had to publicly discourage people from attempting. Continue 04 / 8 Mystery Which Netflix thriller is set in the fictional German town of Winden and involves time travel through a cave system spanning multiple generations of intertwined families? A1899BDarkCThe SinnerDSuburra Correct! Dark is a German-language Netflix original that premiered in 2017 and ran for three seasons.It's widely regarded as one of the most complex and intellectually rewarding thriller series ever made, weaving together time travel, fate, and family trauma. Not quite.
The answer is Dark, Netflix's acclaimed German-language thriller.The show's intricate plot spans multiple time periods and requires serious attention — many fans keep detailed family trees just to follow all the connections between characters. Continue 05 / 8 Characters In Ozark, Marty Byrde is a financial advisor who is forced to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel.Which actor plays Marty? ABryan CranstonBMichael ShannonCJason BatemanDKevin Spacey Correct! Jason Bateman plays Marty Byrde in Ozark, a role that earned him Emmy nominations for both acting and directing.
Bateman is also an executive producer on the show, which ran for four seasons and concluded in 2022. Not quite.Jason Bateman plays Marty Byrde in Ozark.Known before this for comedic roles, Bateman's dramatic turn in Ozark surprised many critics and audiences — he even directed several episodes and received Emmy recognition for his work both in front of and behind the camera. Continue 06 / 8 Plot Twists Behind Her Eyes is a psychological thriller famous for its shocking finale.
What supernatural concept drives the story's climactic twist? ADemonic possessionBAstral projection and soul swappingCTime loopsDFalse memory implantation Correct! Behind Her Eyes (2021) culminates in a reveal involving astral projection, where a character has used out-of-body experiences to swap souls with another person.The twist divided audiences but became one of the most talked-about endings in recent Netflix history. Not quite.The shocking twist in Behind Her Eyes involves astral projection and soul swapping.
The show lulls viewers into thinking it's a straightforward thriller about an affair before pulling the rug out completely in its final episode — a move that went massively viral online. Continue 07 / 8 Crime Which Netflix thriller is based on true events and follows a con artist who posed as a German heiress named Anna Delvey to scam New York's elite social circles? ABad VeganBThe Tinder SwindlerCInventing AnnaDDirty Money Correct! Inventing Anna (2022) was created by Shonda Rhimes and dramatizes the real story of Anna Sorokin, who used the alias Anna Delvey to defraud banks and socialites out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.Julia Garner plays the lead role. Not quite.The answer is Inventing Anna, the Shonda Rhimes-created series about real-life con artist Anna Sorokin.
Sorokin, who used the name Anna Delvey, was convicted of fraud in 2019 and reportedly watched the show about herself while in immigration detention. Continue 08 / 8 Suspense In the Netflix thriller Squid Game, what is the prize money (in South Korean won) offered to the winner of the deadly competition? A10 billion wonB25 billion wonC45.6 billion wonD100 billion won Correct! The prize in Squid Game is 45.6 billion South Korean won, which equates to roughly $38 million USD.The specific amount accumulates as each player dies — adding approximately 100 million won per death — giving the horrifying competition a chilling economic logic. Not quite.The prize money in Squid Game is 45.6 billion South Korean won.
The figure isn't arbitrary — it grows with each contestant's death, with 100 million won added per person, making the mounting total a constant and grim reminder of lives lost in the competition. See My Score Challenge Complete Your Score / 8 Thanks for playing! Try Again Highsmith's character has been adapted many times since, from 1960 French classic to Netflix's 2024 series starring 's Andrew Scott, but Damon's deranged con man remains the definitive big-screen Ripley.The Talented Mr.Ripley R Thriller Crime Drama Release Date December 25, 1999 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT BUY Cast Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jack Davenport, James Rebhorn, Sergio Rubini, Philip Baker Hall, Celia Weston, Fiorello, Stefania Rocca, Ivano Marescotti, Anna Longhi, Alessandro Fabrizi, Lisa Eichhorn, Gretchen Egolf, Jack Willis, Frederick Alexander Bosche, Dario Bergesio, Larry Kaplan, Claire Hardwick, Antonio Prester, Lorenzo Mancuso, Onofrio Mancuso Runtime 140 minutes Director Anthony Minghella Writers Anthony Minghella Producers Tom Sternberg, William Horberg Main Genre Thriller Budget $40 million Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures, MiraMax Executive Producer(s) Sydney Pollack Powered by Expand Collapse 1 Zodiac David Fincher's slow-burn chase for an uncatchable real-life killer Widely considered one of director David Fincher's (, ) best movies, trades the religion-driven flash of his film for a meticulous, creeping dread—made all the more haunting because it's all true.
Based on San Francisco Chronicle political cartoonist Robert Graysmith's non-fiction books (1986) and (2002), Fincher’s critically acclaimed film tells the true story of the serial killer who famously taunted police with his handwritten ciphers and letters while terrorizing the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and '70s.Jake Gyllenhaal plays the out-of-his-league but determined Graysmith, whose puzzle-solving fixartion morphs into full obsession as he chases a suspect the cops can't quite pinpoint.Robert Downey Jr.
is cynical crime reporter Paul Avery, and Mark Ruffalo is homicide detective Dave Toschi, both run ragged while on the hunt for Zodiac, who was never caught.The 2007 film lives up to Fincher’s superb library of work and has a 90% critics’ rating on RT.Zodiac R Crime Drama Mystery Thriller Release Date March 2, 2007 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT Cast Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr., Chloë Sevigny, Elias Koteas, John Carroll Lynch, Brian Cox, Dermot Mulroney, Charles Fleischer, Zach Grenier, Philip Baker Hall, James Le Gros, Donal Logue, Richmond Arquette, Bob Stephenson, John Lacy, Ed Setrakian, John Getz, John Terry, Candy Clark, June Diane Raphael, Ciara Hughes, Lee Norris, Patrick Scott Lewis Runtime 157 minutes Director David Fincher Writers James Vanderbilt, Robert Graysmith Producers Ceán Chaffin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Bradley J.
Fischer, James Vanderbilt Main Genre Crime Budget $65 million Studio(s) Phoenix Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Executive Producer(s) Louis Phillips Powered by Expand Collapse Bring on the goosebumps Whichever of these acclaimed thrillers you start with, you'll surely be second-guessing someone's motives by the end credits.But if, for some reason, none of these movies is doing it for you, How-To Geek's streaming section has an endless array of movie recommendations for you to help you find something great to watch.Paramount Plus Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams 3 Live TV Select live sports (NFL on CBS & UEFA Champions League) Price Starting at $8/month or $60/year Stream on Paramount+ Expand Collapse
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