Netflix is not fooling around this April as it bulks up its slate for the first full month of spring. Romance films, comedies and dramas abound on the streamer with a few titles that launched at the end of March making it into the best new films to stream on Netflix in April.
For those in a more serious or wistful mood, The Life List and A Dog’s Way Home will pull at the heartstrings and help viewers feel all the feelings when they watch. Those in the mood for uplift can watch Rudy or The Breakfast Club or Field of Dreams. Those wanting a laugh can stream One of Them Days.
Find the best new movies streaming on Netflix in April 2025 below:
The Life List – March 28
L to R: Sofia Carson as Alex and Kyle Allen as Brad in ‘The Life List’
Based on the book by Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List stars Sofia Carson, Kyle Allen, Connie Britton and more. The feature adaptation, which landed on the streamer at the end of March 2025, is written and directed by Adam Brooks. In the movie, Alex Rose (Carson) receives a video prompt from her mother to make good on her “life list,” which she wrote when she was 13 years old and filled with goals. Alex sets off with her mother’s will executor Bradley (Allen) to accomplish all her goals in order to get more DVD video messages from her mom, and her life radically shifts.
One of Them Days – March 31
Keke Palmer and SZA in ‘One of Them Days’ (2025)
TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Keke Palmer and SZA star in this box office buster comedy film produced by Issa Rae. The comedy feature, directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton, follows Druex (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), two roommates who have less than 24 hours to scramble for a month’s worth of rent for their apartment — $1500. The pair tries everything from getting a loan, donating blood, selling Air Jordan sneakers Alyssa gets electrocuted to remove from telephone wires on Facebook Marketplace and even returning to the center giving out loans to scrape together the cash before their landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) kicks them out. Their new white neighbor Bethany (Maude Apatow) in an all-Black complex signals the change coming for the rental community. The soundtrack includes a new song from SZA, who made her acting debut in the film.
The Breakfast Club – April 1
‘The Breakfast Club’ was released in 1985
Universal Pictures
Best pay heed to one of the closing lyrics in John Hughes’ classic film about high school rebels, “Don’t you forget about me!” The Brat Pack film stars Emilio Estevez as jock Andrew Clark, Judd Nelson as burnout John Bender, Molly Ringwald as queen bee Claire Standish, Ally Sheedy as outcast Allison Reynolds and Anthony Michael Hall as nerd Brian Johnson. The quintet gain a better understanding of each other in their various social castes through an all-day Saturday detention for various punishments.
Field of Dreams – April 1
Kevin Costner, Gaby Hoffman and Amy Madigan in Field of Dreams
The classic Kevin Costner-starring film that John Mulaney claimed should have won Best Picture is streaming on Netflix starting April 1. The baseball film stars the late great James Earl Jones as Terrence Mann. Costner plays Ray Kinsella, and the late Ray Liotta plays Shoeless Joe Jackson. Amy Madigan plays Anni Kinsella, wife of Ray, who constructs a baseball field in his corn field after envisioning it in a dream. This Oscar nominee originated the quote, “If you build it, they will come.”
Rudy – April 1
L-R:Sean Astin and Jon Favreau in ‘Rudy’ (1993)
A story of perseverance and true determination, Rudy (1993) touches down on Netflix starting April 1. Those longing for fall and football season can find refuge in the University of Notre Dame football story set in South Bend Indiana, where the titular character played be Sean Astin studies hard to transfer from Holy Cross to Notre Dame so that he can fulfill his dream of playing college football for the Fighting Irish. The film, directed by David Anspaugh and written by Angelo Pizzo, also stars Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty and more.
The Hating Game– April 9
Lucy Hale in ‘The Hating Game’ (2021)
Based on the book by Sally Thorne, The Hating Game is for all the steamy romance lovers. Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell star in the workplace rom com. Lucy Huton (Hale) and Joshua Templeman (Stowell) cannot stand each other — true hatred. Their opposites attract vibes with Lucy’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed demeanor and Joshua’s lack thereof have them on a collision course, as does the fact that they are up for the same promotion where they work. The 2021 film adaptation will arrive on Netflix April 9.
A Dog’s Way Home – April 24
From left: Jonah Hauer-King, Bella (portrayed by Shelby / voice: Bryce Dallas Howard) and Ashley Judd in ‘A Dog’s Way Home’
Based on the book by W. Bruce Cameron, who wrote the book that inspired A Dog’s Purpose (2017), A Dog’s Way Home (2019) stars Ashley Judd as Terri, Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid, The Tattooist of Auschwitz) as Lucas, Alexandra Shipp (Barbie, LAID) as Olivia and more. Bryce Dallas Howard voices the central dog Bella, who goes missing while chasing a squirrel. During her journey home, she saves the lives of a few creatures and humans before her triumphant return to Lucas (Hauer-King).
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