3 new to Netflix thriller movies to stream this week — including a tense watch based on a shocking true story (May 21-27)

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I'm always on the hunt for the latest thriller movie arrivals on the world's biggest streamer. This week, Netflix is adding a tense thriller starring Bill Skarsgård, and what makes this one even more gripping is that it's all based on a true story.If you haven't fully checked out Netflix's May 2026 slate, a couple of earlier additions are still well worth your watch time this week. Here are the latest thriller movies on Netflix. So, if you need to add a dose of excitement to your watchlist, this trio will provide plenty of thrills.Best Netflix thriller movies to watch this week‘Dead Man’s Wire’ (2025)

Dead Man's Wire - Official Trailer - YouTube

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If you enjoy thrillers based on true stories, look no further than "Dead Man's Wire." This crime thriller is based on a real-life hostage standoff, and with its themes of the little guy pushing back against corporate greed, it feels quite relevant to our current times, despite its 1970s setting.On Tuesday, February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis (played here by Bill Skarsgård) walked into the office of his mortgage broker and took a hostage, Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery), the son of the company’s CEO. Attaching a dead man’s wire to his victim, and with a shotgun pointed directly at his chest, Tony wants retribution for what he perceives to be wrongdoing. Skarsgård is excellent in the central role, and the introduction packs plenty of intensity, but “Dead Man’s Wire's" second act drags its heels.Stream "Dead Man's Wire" on Netflix starting May 28‘Den of Thieves’ (2018)