Netflix OTT releases in October: Florence Pugh’s East of Eden, Ben Affleck’s Animals and more to watch this month

October is bringing a packed slate of movies and shows to Netflix, giving subscribers plenty of new titles to add to their watchlists. The month will see the arrival of major adaptations, original thrillers, returning series and dramas, with some familiar films also joining the catalogue. Among the biggest releases are Florence Pugh-led East of Eden, Ben Affleck’s thriller Animals, Tyler Perry’s Doing Life, The Diplomat Season 4 and Nobody Wants This Season 3.

Florence Pugh leads East of Eden

One of the most anticipated October releases is East of Eden, a seven-episode adaptation of John Steinbeck’s acclaimed novel. Florence Pugh stars as Cathy Ames, with Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist and Ciarán Hinds also part of the cast. The series, created and written by Zoe Kazan, follows the intertwined lives of the Trask and Hamilton families across generations in California’s Salinas Valley. Netflix says the story explores family, morality and the consequences of choices.TVLine reported that Netflix had set an October 1 premiere for the seven-part adaptation, describing it as Kazan’s take on Steinbeck’s classic.

Ben Affleck brings Animals to Netflix

For thriller fans, Animals arrives on October 9. Ben Affleck directs, co-writes and stars alongside Kerry Washington. The film follows Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball after his son is kidnapped. He and his wife are forced to find a way to raise the ransom, pushing the couple into increasingly dangerous territory. Netflix describes the movie as a story about how far someone will go to protect their family. The cast also includes Gillian Anderson and Steven Yeun. The film is also notable for bringing Affleck back into the director’s chair. His previous directing credits include Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo.

Tyler Perry’s Doing Life explores second chances

Tyler Perry’s Doing Life will begin streaming on October 2. Naomi Baker and Jay Reeves play the central characters — a single mother and a reformed ex-convict who develop an unexpected connection. The film was written and directed by Perry and focuses on survival, redemption and the possibility of starting over. People reported that Perry drew inspiration from people he had encountered in real life, particularly single mothers and people leaving prison. He said he wanted to tell a story about people who are “the most not seen or heard in our society.”

The Diplomat returns for Season 4

Netflix’s political thriller The Diplomat is also returning, with Season 4 scheduled for October 15. Keri Russell is back as diplomat Kate Wyler, alongside Rufus Sewell, Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford. The new season follows the fallout from the previous season while Kate faces another international crisis and tensions involving the US and UK. Creator Debora Cahn told Netflix that the new season centres on Kate, Hal, Grace and Todd, describing them as “two couples strapped together in one car on a crumbling roller coaster.”

Nobody Wants This gets another season

Rom-com fans will have another reason to return to Netflix when Nobody Wants This Season 3 premieres on October 22. Kristen Bell and Adam Brody return as Joanne and Noah, who are entering a new phase of their relationship. Variety reported that the third season will pick up after the pair recommitted to each other, with the characters beginning to build a life together.

Beyond these headline releases, Netflix’s October catalogue includes returning series, documentaries, live events and a large selection of older films. The streamer’s own fall movie lineup also includes projects such as The Mosquito Bowl, Possible Love, In Waves, 14th and Bad Day.

A busy October for Netflix viewers

With literary drama, action thrillers, romance and returning favourites arriving within the same month, Netflix’s October 2026 schedule offers a broad mix rather than focusing only on Halloween-themed viewing. For viewers looking for a major new drama, East of Eden leads the literary side of the lineup, while Animals offers a darker thriller option. Meanwhile, The Diplomat and Nobody Wants This give returning-series fans new seasons to follow. With several releases spread throughout the month, Netflix subscribers will have plenty to explore as autumn gets underway.