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Picture Credit: Netflix
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a somber milestone reflecting on the destruction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the coordinated attacks across the United States.
If you’re looking to understand, reflect on, or learn more about the events of that fateful day and its far-reaching aftermath, you might be wondering what documentaries and movies Netflix has to offer. Over the past couple of years, Netflix has substantially expanded its lineup. Here is your updated watch guide for 2026.
While Netflix boasts a strong collection of titles—as we’ll detail below—its library of historical documentaries still faces stiff competition. Prime Video offers a myriad of docs available directly or through Freevee, and Disney+ houses a substantial collection via National Geographic (four of which were released in 2022).
Note: Netflix’s official category code for TV shows and movies connected to 9/11 is: 840233.
American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden
Released on Netflix: May 14th, 2025
Available on Netflix: Globally
Picture Credit: Netflix
The latest addition to the acclaimed American Manhunt documentary franchise, this three-part series from directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy delves deep into the pursuit of the terrorist architect behind the 9/11 attacks. Episode 1, in particular, deals with the devastating events of that day in meticulous detail.
Currently standing as one of Netflix’s most highly-rated documentary series, the official synopsis reads: “Espionage operatives and military insiders reveal the methods they used to hunt down Osama bin Laden in this investigative true-crime series.”
Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror
Released on Netflix: September 1st, 2021
Available on Netflix: Globally
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Released to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the attacks, this was Netflix’s first comprehensive documentary series covering the day in detail. Directed by Brian Knappenberger (The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz), the series uses exclusive footage and powerful interviews to chronicle the events leading up to 9/11 and its enduring aftermath.
Across its five episodes, the docuseries takes multiple directions. The premiere focuses squarely on the day of the attacks, while subsequent episodes examine the short- and long-term global repercussions.
The series holds a solid 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager calling it “an upsetting, enraging, and largely even-handed history lesson about the past two decades.”
Turning Point: 9/11 Generation
Released on Netflix: September 2026
Available on Netflix: Globally
Picture Credit: Netflix
Arriving five years after his acclaimed docuseries and marking the 25th anniversary of the tragedy, director Brian Knappenberger returns with this follow-up feature-length documentary. Instead of focusing purely on historical and political strategies, Turning Point: 9/11 Generation shifts its lens to the people who grew up in its aftermath—specifically Millennials and Gen-Z.
Clocking in at 98 minutes, the film provides an emotional, street-level view of the post-9/11 world and its massive ripple effects, from the Bush administration’s War on Terror to the rise of conspiracy theories and the militarization of public spaces. While some critics note that the sprawling subject matter might have been better served with another multi-episode format, it remains a poignant entry. Standout moments include heartbreaking firsthand accounts, like that of Laurel Homer, the daughter of late Flight 93 pilot LeRoy Homer Jr.
Worth
Released on Netflix: September 3rd, 2021
Available on Netflix: Globally
Picture Credit: Netflix
Also released for the 20th anniversary, this scripted feature film hails from Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions.
Directed by Sara Colangelo, the movie follows an attorney facing an emotional reckoning and a massive uphill battle as he is tasked with putting a dollar value on the lives lost on that fateful day.
Based on Kenneth Feinberg’s memoir, What Is Life Worth?: The Unprecedented Effort to Compensate the Victims of 9/11, the film features stellar performances from Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Amy Ryan, Tate Donovan, Talia Balsam, and Laura Benanti.
The Anthrax Attacks: In the Shadow of 9/11
Released on Netflix: September 8th, 2022
Available on Netflix: Globally
Picture Credit: Netflix
Just weeks after 9/11, a slew of biological attacks rocked the U.S. capital, spreading further terror across an already grieving nation. Five people were killed and 17 injured by anthrax-laced letters. Directed by Dan Krauss, this hybrid documentary explores the subsequent FBI investigation.
Clark Gregg (Painkiller, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) delivers a chilling dramatic performance in the documentary’s reenactments, portraying Bruce Edwards Ivins, a microbiologist and vaccinologist who became the prime suspect in the case.
Spy Ops (Episode 1 – Operation Jawbreaker)
Released on Netflix: September 8th, 2023
Available on Netflix: Globally
Spy Ops, an eight-part documentary series released in 2023, uses expert testimony from insiders in the British MI6 and American CIA to detail some of the most prolific intelligence operations and plots of recent decades.
The very first episode, “Operation Jawbreaker,” takes a look at the immediate response just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, following CIA operatives as they arrive in Afghanistan with the goal of dismantling the Taliban.
History 101 (Season 1 – Oil and the Middle East)
Released on Netflix: May 22nd, 2022
Available on Netflix: Globally
Picture Credit: Netflix
History 101 is a bite-sized Netflix docuseries that unpacks a wide variety of global topics, from nuclear power and fast food to the rise of China and GPS technology.
An essential episode from the first season breaks down how oil and Western reliance on the Middle East evolved over the 20th century. Crucially, it highlights how this economic dynamic destabilized the region and created the geopolitical conditions that ultimately led to the events of 9/11.
How to Become a Tyrant (Episode 2 – Crush Your Rivals)
Released on Netflix: July 9th, 2021
Available on Netflix: Globally
Picture Credit: Netflix
This darkly satirical documentary series analyzes the playbooks of some of the most notorious dictators in human history. Episode 2 specifically focuses on Saddam Hussein, who served as the President of Iraq from 1979 through 2003.
The aftermath of 9/11 is intrinsically linked to Hussein’s regime, as it was one of the primary catalysts for the Iraq War. Although initially believed by some to be connected to the attacks, President George W. Bush later admitted that Hussein had no involvement.
Are you going to be checking out any of Netflix’s 9/11 offerings? Let us know in the comments below.
