Credit: Netflix

We are slowly inching towards the final stretch of 2026, people, and as usual the release calendar of Netflix looks pretty packed, but in the past seven days, the platform has given us a few more additions to talk about.

But before we head to the main five, let’s talk a bit about the spooky season, which is getting its turn too, with Stephen King’s The Boogeyman coming to Netflix in time for Halloween, while Ben Affleck’s Animals has already been a huge hit, released last Friday.

Last week also had another eerie limited series, Below, added to Netflix’s catalogue, and this Josh Hartnett and Charlie Heraton starrer has become bigger than many expected it to be.

Let’s now get to the massive five announcements Netflix made last week that you definitely need to keep on your radar.

Netflix announces a new Bridgerton spin-off about Violet and Edmund

Well, Lady Whistledown has another scandal to write about, although for once, it’s rather good news! On October 8th, Netflix announced that the Bridgerton universe is expanding with a new limited series exploring the romance between a young Violet Bridgerton and her late husband, Edmund. Yes, the very couple responsible for bringing eight Bridgerton children into the world, each of whom has given us enough romantic drama to last a lifetime. It’s about time we heard their parents’ side of the story, wouldn’t you agree?

Shonda Rhimes and Nicholas Nardini will serve as writers and showrunners, with Rhimes returning to the spin-off territory she explored with Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Ruth Gemmell plays the older Violet in the original series, but Netflix hasn’t announced who will portray the younger couple. Meanwhile, Bridgerton season five is in production, with Francesca and Michaela’s romance taking centre stage. The ton has a busy few years ahead, then.

The Empress’ Season 3 trailer is out ahead of the finale

Oh, what a shame it is to bid farewell to a good period drama, particularly one that has entertained us with this feminist royalty romance. On October 7th, Netflix released the trailer for the third and final season of The Empress, confirming that the German historical drama will return on November 12th. Devrim Lingnau takes over her role as Elisabeth of Austria, whose marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant) has brought her more trouble than any young bride expects.

For anyone who needs a refresher, Elisabeth has spent most of her time at the Viennese court fighting against what everyone expects an empress to be, and Sophie, her formidable mother-in-law, has not made life easier. Now the final season has to bring all of that to a head, with the pressure around the imperial family only getting worse and Elisabeth still stuck between duty and the life she actually wants.

Netflix’s live-action Solo Leveling adds major cast members

Anime fans, you’ve got something to be excited about too, because Netflix has finally announced the cast for its live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling. On October 6th, Netflix announced that Han So-hee, Kang You-seok, Sung Joon, Lee Sung-min and Jung Ji-hoon have joined the cast alongside Byeon Woo-seok, who was confirmed to play the protagonist, Sung Jin-woo. The original South Korean web novel has become a global phenomenon through its webtoon and anime adaptations, so you can imagine how huge this is going to be.

For the uninitiated, Solo Leveling takes place in a world where mysterious gates connect humanity to monster-filled dungeons, and certain individuals known as “Hunters” possess supernatural abilities to fight the creatures. Jin-woo starts as the weakest Hunter imaginable, but after a deadly encounter, he gains the power to grow stronger through a unique system. Netflix hasn’t announced a release date, so we will have to make do with the casting news for now.

Anthony Boyle and Julia Garner starrer The Altruists will premiere this November

Remember the FTX cryptocurrency scandal that left billions of dollars unaccounted for? Well, Netflix has turned that financial catastrophe into a drama. The Altruists is an eight-part limited series starring Anthony Boyle as Sam Bankman-Fried and Julia Garner as Caroline Ellison. The show releases on November 19th and explores how two ambitious young figures became embroiled in one of the biggest financial fraud scandals in recent history.

Created by Graham Moore, The Altruists follows Bankman-Fried and Ellison as they build their cryptocurrency empire while convincing themselves they are changing the financial system for the better. Their complicated personal relationship is also a massive part of the story, and the trailer shows their partnership as something resembling a modern Bonnie and Clyde affair.

Netflix announces a new true-crime-inspired miniseries

It’s impossible to keep Netflix away from true crime, but this miniseries is going to raise a few eyebrows. Netflix has announced an untitled fictional miniseries inspired by the Daniel Sancho case, which made headlines across Spain and Thailand in 2023. Spanish actor Martiño Rivas, known for Cable Girls, will star in the production, although Netflix hasn’t revealed the full cast or a release date. Filming is expected to take place across Thailand and Spain, reflecting the international nature of the case.

The real-life story concerns Daniel Sancho, a Spanish chef who was convicted of murdering Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta in Thailand and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2024. One thing Netflix has made clear is that the upcoming series will be a fictionalised retelling rather than a documentary. Bambú Producciones, the company behind The Asunta Case, is producing the project.