8 Best Movies Leaving Netflix At The End Of August 2025

Every month, Netflix rotates its library of movies and series with licensed titles coming and going. Usually, this involves a lot of movies, in particular, leaving Netflix on the first of the month, and September will be no different.

North of 40 titles are scheduled to leave Netflix on the first, but because time is precious, we’ve picked out the best movies you should be watching before they depart. This list is our top picks, but yours may be different, so leave any that are left that you think others should be watching in the comments below. 

Note: This list primarily covers titles leaving Netflix in the US; other regions’ availability and removal dates may vary. If a title is leaving on September 1st, your last day to watch is August 31st. 

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Leaving Aug. 31

The Hitman’s Bodyguard & Sequel

Not quite leaving Netflix in September, but rather right at the end of August, is The Hitman’s Bodyguard, which was first released in 2017, and its sequel, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, was released four years later. The movies have a lot in common with Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time: some huge movie stars in movies that don’t quite live up to the hype, but are still a fun watch, nevertheless. 

Featuring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, and Salma Hayek, among plenty of other recognizable names, the first movie sees a veteran protection agent assigned to guard his mortal enemy, a notorious hitman, in addition to his wife. Over the course of a chaotic 24-hour period of car chases, boat escapes, and danger from a ruthless dictator. 

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Leaving Sep. 1

Barbarian (2022)

Given that Weapons is currently performing quite well in theaters, you may want to check out the other well-known project from director Zach Cregger – his 2022 beloved horror, Barbarian.  

A twisty-turny horror, Barbarian has you following Tess Marshall, who is staying at an Airbnb just ahead of her big interview. What’s supposed to be a relaxing evening before the big day turns into a true nightmare, finding that the house has been double-booked by a mysterious stranger who turns her life into a living hell. 

The movie, quite rightfully, picked up stunning reviews across the board upon its initial release three years ago. Among the sea of voices praising the film was Ian Sandwell for DigitalSpy, who said, “The joy of the movie is how it constantly wrongfoots the audience, delivering audacious swing after swing. It’d still be an excellent horror movie if you knew what was in store, but that’d be ruining the fun.”

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Leaving Sep. 1

Sicario (2015)

If you’re looking for an all-out action flick, Sicario definitely fits the bill. Set in the lawless border area spanning between the U.S. and Mexico, you’ll be following an FBI agent who is still relatively wet behind the ears and is enlisted by an elite government task force official to aid in the escalating war against drugs. Led by an enigmatic consultant with a questionable past, the team sets out on a clandestine journey, forcing Kate to question everything that she believes to survive.
 
The action is intense, often brutal, and will give you an uneasy, claustrophobic feeling, and that plays into the movie’s other massive strengths, such as well-realized and acted characters plus stunning settings. Sadly, the sequel isn’t currently available on Netflix US, but if you can go out of your way to do a watch of both the first and second movies in a single evening, I guarantee it’ll be worth your time. 

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Leaving Sep. 1

Black Hawk Down (2001)

What’s Ridley Scott’s best movie? If you ask most, you’ll probably get a lot of different answers every single time. For me, Black Hawk Down is definitely in the top 3 and remains one of the best and most visceral war films of all time. Featuring a cast list as long as your arm and filled with talent who went on to become huge stars, the movie depicts a special operation that took place during the Battle of Mogadishu as part of the UN intervention in Somalia in the early 1990s. 

Featuring stunning set pieces, bold performances that show the reality of the war as well as the might and perhaps arrogance of the US military, the movie is infinitely rewatchable and enjoyable for the first time. 

Of course, once you’re done with the movie itself, you can then head straight into Netflix’s documentary series covering the conflict, which was produced by Ridley Scott’s production company (although Scott is not involved directly) and goes into depth into how the conflict came about and speaks to those involved. 

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Leaving Sep. 1

The Mule (2018)

It’s fair to say some of Clint Eastwood’s finest work has come later in his career, and The Mule stands out as one of the brightest gems in his extensive filmography (did you know he has over 126 movie credits to his name?). Serving as both director and star, Eastwood plays Earl Stone, a 90-year-old who takes on an unexpected new line of work, becoming a mule for the Mexican drug cartel.

A slow-burn drama with plenty of quiet tension, the film reinforces the idea that age is no barrier to delivering cinematic dynamite.

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Leaving Sep. 1

The Polar Express (2004)

If you’re a licensing nerd like me, you’ll know that Christmas movies around Christmas time are nearly impossible for Netflix to grab hold of. The reason is that distributors know these movies will be big drivers to their own services, so they either keep them to themselves or alternatively, license them out to the highest bidder, and Netflix is often not the winner. That’s why you get instances like The Polar Express, which arrive on Netflix in the dead of summer and leave before the Christmas stands have begun creeping up in supermarkets, which seems to get earlier and earlier every single year. 

My rambling aside, if you’re looking for a Christmas movie to help you cool down as summer comes to a close, The Polar Express is a massive fan-favorite. It’s gone viral on TikTok constantly over the past five years, leading to a resurgence in its popularity, and despite the sometimes wonky animation, it’s still a blast to watch. 

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Leaving Sep. 1

Paul (2011)

What makes the Cornetto trilogy so great? Simple: Edgar Wright’s razor-sharp directing and the unbeatable chemistry between Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who have collaborated in countless ways over the years. In 2011, now 14 years ago, the pair teamed up for the unlikely sci-fi comedy Paul, playing two nerds on an American road trip to tick off their alien-themed bucket list. What they didn’t expect was to actually meet — and pick up — an alien.

Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, the duo’s chemistry shines once again, and with Seth Rogen delivering a standout voice performance as Paul, plus a handful of celebrity cameos, the film delivers plenty of laughs and pure entertainment.

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Leaving Sep. 1

Us (2019)

Although mostly known for his earlier comedy work, Jordan Peele has successfully, like a surprising number of other comedians, transitioned to another genre, and you could even go as far as to say he is even redefining another genre. One of his numerous horror projects in recent years is the doppelganger thriller Us, which features some fantastic performances and set pieces, with the plot revolving around a family now being hunted down by a family that looks just like them. 

Out of the major Jordan Peele horror movies, I’m sad to report that this remains my least favorite of the trio, but in the movie’s defense, it’s still gotta be pretty damn good to be compared to Get Out and Nope. The reason why it’s my least favorite is that, despite a fantastic premise and build-up, the ending fell flat on its face for me and didn’t satisfy that itch quite like the other two movies. I don’t know how it could’ve been improved, but it just didn’t quite complete the landing. 

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Which of these movies will you be checking out before they depart Netflix this September? Let us know in the comments down below.