What’s new on Netflix UK in January 2021 – all the shows and movies coming up
The first month of the new year sees brand-new films The Dig and White Tiger, a third season of Karate Kid spin-off Cobra-Kai and several new documentary series.
For everything else that went wrong in 2020, there's no denying that it was a great year for Netflix – with the streaming giant welcoming hordes of new subscribers and adding several acclaimed series to its library.
The good news as we head into 2021 is there's no sign of the platform letting up: the first month of the year sees new films, returning series and even a documentary that follows Nicolas Cage as he explores the history of swear words.
The streamer certainly isn't wasting any time when it comes to new documentary series in 2021, with the aforementioned History of Swear Words joined on the January schedule by two new true-crime series.
The first of those, titled Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy, looks into America's powerful drug trade in the '80s, while the second looks into a notorious serial killer who operated in the same decade – titled Night Stalker: the Hunt for a Serial Killer.
On the film front, the most high-profile new release is the star-studded historical drama The Dig, which dramatises the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo and stars Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James and Johnny Flynn.
There's also The White Tiger, an adaptation of the hit novel of the same name, and Pieces of a Woman, a drama starring Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf about a tragedy that strikes during a home birth.
Due in January too is the third season of hit Karate Kid spin-off Cobra Kai, the second run of animated series Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous season and the fourth and final season of French series Call My Agent.
Read on for our pick of the January list – and if you’re after December’s Netflix releases, we have that covered, too.
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Friday 1st January 2021
Cobra Kai season 3 Third run for the Karate Kid spin-off (original 8 January release date pulled forward)
Dream Home Makeover season 2 A second run of the reality series that sees families try to create the ideal home
Monarca season 1 Brand-new Mexican drama that tells of a billionaire tequila tycoon and his family, who thrive in a corrupt business environment
The Circle USA season 1 American version of the social media-based game show
The Minimalists: Less Is Now Documentary that explores the minimalist movement from the perspective of two pioneering friends
The Office (US) All nine seasons of the American version of the British sitcom, starring Steve Carell
RuPaul's Drag Race season 13 A brand-new line-up of wannabe drag superstars vie for the title (episodes weekly)
What Happened to Mr. Cha? South Korean comedy series about the eponymous Mr Cha – a superstar actor who is well past his prime and hoping to bring back the glory days
Plus older films arriving on, or returning to, the platform:
All about Nina (2018)
Arizona (2018)
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Bathtubs over Broadway (2018)
Dredd (2012)
Here and Now (2018)
My Sister's Keeper (2009)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Semi-Pro (2008)
Shoot 'Em Up (2007)
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Valiant (2005)
Wild Target (2010)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
The Woman in Black (2011)
Saturday 2nd January
Asphalt Burning Norwegian comedy film about a man who accepts a challenge to race for his runaway bride at the iconic Nürburgring track in Germany
Sunday 3rd January
All Is True (2018) Drama film directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh about William Shakespeare's returns to Stratford following a massive fire that destroys the Globe Theatre in 1613
Monday 4th January
Korean Porkbelly Rhapsody A cooking show that is described as a "love letter to pork belly" – a very popular dish in South Korea
Tuesday 5th January
Back to Life season 1 Daisy Haggard's dark BBC comedy about a 30-something ex-convict
Gabby's Dollhouse season 1 New children's show
History of Swear Words season 1 Nicolas Cage fronts this documentary series about the history of obscenities
Nailed It! Mexico season 3 A third run for the Mexican version of the popular baking reality show
Wednesday 6th January
Surviving Death season 1 This docuseries sees people discuss near-death experiences, reincarnation, and paranormal phenomena
Tony Parker: the Final Shot Documentary about the French basketball player
Thursday 7th January
I Am Woman (2019) Biopic of Helen Reddy, the singer and women's rights activist who passed away in 2020
100% Halal Indonesian film
Pieces of a Woman A heartbreaking home birth leaves a woman grappling with the profound emotional fallout, isolated from her partner and family by a chasm of grief.
Tag (2018) A group of five friends, who have been playing the game of tag for 30 years, decide to play one last game before the wedding of their undefeated player
Friday 8th January
The Idhun Chronicles Part 2 A second run for the Spanish-language anime series about a necromancer who takes over the magical world of Idhun
Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons season 5 Another outing for the docuseries that sees a journalist travel to different locations to explore the imprisonment process of various societies
Lupin season 1 Brand-new French fantasy adventure series that is inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin, a character created by Maurice Leblanc
Mighty Little Bheem: Kite Festival Indian animated kids' series
Pretend It’s a City Biographical documentary series with Fran Lebwoitz and Martin Scorsese
Stuck Apart (Azizler) Turkish comedy-drama film about a man who is entrenched in a midlife crisis
Sunday 10th January
Gogglebox season 5 The fifth series of the popular reality series – which originally aired on Channel 4 back in 2015 – arrives on Netflix
Instant Family (2018) Comedy film starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as a couple who decide to adopt Lizzy, a teenager, and discover she has another two siblings
Monday 11th January
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy Docuseries that looks into America's powerful drug trade in the 1980s
Wednesday 13th January
Broken Law (2020) Irish crime drama in which a dedicated police officer is put in a compromising position by his recently imprisoned brother
Night Stalker: the Hunt for a Serial Killer True-crime drama that chronicles the attempts of two detectives to track down a serial killer in mid-80s LA
https://twitter.com/streaming/tv/entertainment/entertainment-2/netflix-16-million-subscribers-during-lockdown//status/1338906787538321408?lang=en-gb
Thursday 14th January
The Heartbreak Club Indian comedy film about the owner of a floundering cafe who finds solace in the Javanese love songs
Friday 15th January
Bling Empire season 1 Reality series that follows LA's wildly wealthy Asian and Asian American fun seekers as they go all out to fabulous parties
Carmen Sandiego season 4 Fourth run for the animated series featuring the voices of Gina Rodriguez and Finn Wolfhard
Disenchantment Part 3 Third run for the animated sitcom from Matt Groening
Double Dad Brazilian film about a teen who sneaks out of the hippie commune where she lives and embarks on a life-changing adventure to find her father
Kuruko’s Basketball season 1 Anime series about basketball adapted from the manga of the same name
Outside the Wire Sci-fi film starring Anthony Mackie as an android officer who works with a drone pilot to stop a global catastrophe
Partners for Justice seasons 1-2 Korean crime drama series
Pinkfong & Baby Shark’s Space Adventure Animated children's movie
Rambo (2007) The bandana-wearing one-man army played by Sylvester Stallone has turned his back on violence to live a quiet life in Thailand
Superstore seasons 1-5 US sitcom starring Ugly Betty's America Ferrara
Tribhanga - Tedhi Medhi Crazy Bollywood drama
Wish You Korean movie
Sunday 17th January
Boy Erased (2018) Drama based on the book by Garrard Conley, starring Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Joel Edgerton, who also wrote the screenplay and directed
Monday 18th January
Damsel (2018) Western comedy film, starring Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska, and David Zellner, who also co-directed
Tuesday 19th January
Hello Ninja season 4 Fourth series for the animated show about two best friends who transform into ninjas and enter a magical world
Wednesday 20th January
Daughter from Another Mother season 1 Mexican comedy drama about two women whose babies were exchanged at birth
Sightless (2020) Psychological thriller starring Madelaine Petsch about a violinist recovering from an attack than left her blind
Spycraft season 1 Science documentary about the tools and technologies that aid espionage
Thursday 21st January
Call My Agent! season 4 The final series of the hit French comedy about the employees at a Paris talent firm as they juggle their private and professional lives
Riverdale season 5 While the upcoming series opens with Archie and friends attending prom, we’re then expecting to jump seven years into the future to see where the Riverdale High students ended up
Friday 22nd January
Blown Away series 2 More from the glass-blowing contest
Busted season 3 Return of the Korean drama
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 1 Japanese anime
Fate: the Winx Saga season 1 Fantasy series following the coming-of-age journey of five fairies attending Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous season 2 The animated spin-off from the mega film franchise gets a second outing as the adventures continue for the central group of friends
So My Grandma’s a Lesbian! Spanish romantic comedy
The White Tiger Film adaptation of Aravind Adiga's 2008 novel about an ambitious Indian driver who uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and rise to the top
Sunday 24th January
Booksmart (2019) Acclaimed teen film and the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde, following two bookish teens as they try to make their prom a night to forget
Happy Death Day 2U (2019) Comedy horror sequel
What They Had (2018) Siblings face up to the infirmity of their parents in this film starring Hilary Swank
Tuesday 26th January
Snowpiercer season 2 Second run of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi series (episodes weekly)
Wednesday 27th January
Bonding season 2 Second run for the dark US comedy
50M2 season 1 Turkish drama series about a former hitman who takes refuge in a neighbourhood tailor shop
Penguin Bloom Naomi Watts stars as a woman recovering from a traumatic accident who cares for an injured magpie
Thursday 28th January
Hotel Artemis (2018) An underworld hospital for criminals in need of no-questions-asked medical treatment becomes the flashpoint for the settling of old scores in this thriller set in the near future
Friday 29th January
Below Zero Spanish action thriller
The Dig A film dramatisation of the real excavation that took place in Suffolk’s Sutton Hoo, which led to the ground-breaking discovery of an Anglo-Saxon burial ship
Finding 'OHana American family comedyWe Are: the Brooklyn Saints season 1 Sport documentary seriesCheck out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what else is on with our TV Guide.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.