As the world’s biggest streaming service,Netflixhas kind of made binge-watchinga popular way to consume media. Though that’s most often reserved forNetflix’s iconic TV shows, it also works when it comes to movie franchises.
3Fear Street (4 Movies)
Initially released in 2021,theFear Streetseriesis one of the most impressive horror franchises you’ll find anywhere.The first three movies work as a standalone trilogy, with each entry arriving within weeks of each other. Each installment pays homage to an iconic horror subgenre.
The first,1994, works as a slasher from the era along the lines ofScreamorI Know What You Did Last Summer. The second entry,1978, is also a slasher but set at a camp likeFriday the 13th. The last entry is totally different, going back to1666and landing in the witch subgenre.
It might not sound like it butthese three films set in different eras somehow come together to tell one cohesive, compelling story. Each installment was met with strong critical and audience acclaim, while featuring a talented cast including Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Gillian Jacobs, and Kiana Madeira.
A fourth installment,Fear Street: Prom Queen, arrived in 2025 but doesn’t connect to the first three entries.It was also met with negative reviews, with many criticizing and writing and reliance on generic tropes of the horror genre. You can watch them all in a weekend, though focusing on the 2021 trilogy makes for the best experience.
2Enola Holmes (2 Movies)
Like Sadie Sink inFear Street, Millie Bobby Brown is anotherStranger Thingsstar with a successful Netflix original franchise. Hers isEnola Holmes, where she plays the titular character,the younger sister of the legendary detective, Sherlock.
Adapted fromThe Enola Holmes Mysteries, this 2020 film was a fresh way to look at a Holmes story since Sherlock often gets most of the shine. Brown delivers the best performances of her film career in both movies, coming off as extremely charismatic with her fourth-wall breaks.
She’s boosted by a strong supporting cast that includesHenry Cavill as Sherlock, Sam Claflin as Mycroft, and Helena Bonham Carter as her mother Eudoria. The first entry was a huge hit for Netflix and holds a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It made sense to release a sequel two years later, which expanded on Enola’s relationship with Sherlock and her mother, and gave her a new mystery to solve. It has an even better 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating, proving that the first film wasn’t a fluke.
While both installments are an easy watch over the weekend, they also work to set you up for the future. Thehighly anticipatedEnola Holmes 3is currently in production, though no release date has been set yet.
1To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (3 Movies)
It’s especiallyrare for a romantic comedy to get an entire franchise, which makesTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforea true standout in the genre. Based on Jenny Han’s book series of the same name, the films were strong adaptations that became major hits for Netflix.
The first film, arriving in 2018, sets everything up as Lara Jean’s (Lana Condor) secret letters she wrote to boys she’s had a crush on get sent out to each boy, turning her life upside down. This was the doing of her little sister but ends up being the best thing for Lara Jean.
She ends up in a fake relationship with one of the boys,Peter (Noah Centineo), to make his ex jealous, and so her best friend (and sister’s ex), another boy she had a crush on, thinks she no longer has feelings for him. Of course, the two fall for each other.
The subsequent films deal with their growing romance, the arrival of another former crush to test their bond, and their decisions when it comes to going to college. All three entries were well received (though the first is the best) and when you’re done with the movies,XO, Kittyis a spin-off show to check out.
